Falling For You
by MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234
Summary: Athrun is assigned his biggest mission yet: Go to Archangel High & make Cagalli Yula Athha, the princess of Orb, fall in love with him so he learns Orb Military secrets for the PLANTs. But what happens when he starts to fall for his target? AxC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: So this is the very first chapter of my new story, Falling for You. It is completely original except the characters and the universe being used. So thanks for clicking this story and reading! All that I ask is when you're done you click the coolest button EVER to review! Who knows? You might win a bajillion dollars! :) And if you don't...**

**The world might explode. You know what to do! Read & Review! **

**EDITED: 03/11/2010**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

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Phase 01: First Impressions

_"_Athrun, sit down."

"Yes Father." Chairman Patrick Zala coughed at this. "I mean _Chairman Zala_," he corrected.

Athrun Zala took his seat in a room filled with a handful of middle-aged woman and men, who were all staring at him. They were all also wearing black ZAFT uniforms which signified their high-ranking positions in the _Zodiac Alliance of Freedom_ Treaty, which was more commonly referred to by it's acronym, _ZAFT_.

"May I ask the reason for why I have been called?"

But he already knew the real reason. The only time he was ever called in to the Representative's Council Room was when he was going to be assigned a mission. Athrun was only seventeen yet he had been assigned a hundred missions by these representatives - which was a great feat considering most soldiers didn't even get that far.

But he didn't care.

He hated his missions since they all involved either spying or fighting. And he hated that one day he would be in his father's position, the Chairman of the PLANTs, sitting with the sons and daughters of the people around him.

He hated the idea. He hated naturals. Most of all, he hated the war.

"We have assigned a new task for you," Chairman Zala answered.

Athrun nodded. "What would that be, Chairman?"

"WE HAVE FIGURED OUT WHAT THE FILTHY NATURAL LORD UZUMI'S GREATEST WEAKNESS IS!" the Representative of October City, Herman Gould yelled.

"Quite Gould!" Chairman Zala demanded. "Athrun, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, the ZAFT Army has found out that Orb, a supposedly neutral country, has secretly aided the Earth Alliance Federation by creating Mobile Suits at Morganreate. Obviously, Orb denies any affiliation with the E.A.F. We NEED to pressure Lord Uzumi in to giving us these mobile suits and what we want!" He slammed his fists on to the table, "We will not lose this war to Naturals! We must exterminate them all!"

"But...Orb is a neutral nation...Chairman...Father..."

"You think I don't know that?" Chairman Zala asked.

The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone in the room just looked at both Athrun and his father, Chairman Zala. It would have to be an understatement to say that they were all afraid of Patrick.

Everyone in the PLANTs - and the Earth - knew of Patrick Zala and they also knew he was one of the most elite, powerful men in the world and should not be reckoned with. He demanded respect and received it.

Athrun dropped his gaze to the floor in his shame. "Yes Father...I mean...Chairman Zala..."

"Now we ask you a simple task," Chairman Zala said coldly, "and whether or not you accept is your decision. However, if you chose to decline the mission you can no longer call yourself a Zala and you will be discharged dishonourably from ZAFT."

"And if I accept?"

"If you choose to accept this mission and completely, the regards will be magnificent and beyond your belief. You will also be the youngest Admiral in all of ZAFT history. It is your choice."

Athrun sighed.

Of course his father gave him a "choice" that made it nearly impossible for him to decline. He was just another pawn in the grand schemes that Chairman Zala concocted every so often. It made him wonder if Chairman Zala remembered that he had a son, and that Athrun was that son.

After all, Chairman Zala had once been a family man. But it had felt like a lifetime ago...

"I accept the mission, Chairman."

The Chairman nodded and pressed a button on a remote.

Suddenly a picture of a beautiful blonde girl with amber eyes appeared, lighting up the huge black screen that was hung on the wall. The girl, whoever she was, had to be the most beautiful girl Athrun had ever seen. She wore a simple mint green dress and her hair was styled elaborately. But what made his heart swell up the most was the genuine smile plastered on to her face.

"Cagalli Yula Athha," Chairman Zala announced. "She is next in line to rule the Kingdom of Orb."

Cagalli Yula Athha. He had seen her name in various newspapers but never before had he seen a picture of the Princess. He had except a woman that looked like a model...or a actress...but somehow, she was much more prettier.

Chairman Zala pressed a button.

Another picture of Cagalli appeared. Instead, this time instead of a mint green ball gown she wore one that was the steelish-blue of a midnight sky and instead of her being pinned it was curled loosely. And her eyes stood out more in this picture - this made him realize that they weren't just brown, but a unique amber...

"What am I suppose to do? Make her fall in love with me?"

"Yes, actually. Something along the lines."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Athrun laughed. "I didn't mean it! Did you seriously except me, a war soldier, to destroy an innocent girl? Shouldn't you just assign me to crack Lord Uzumi?"

Athrun knew he had done a lot of bad things during missions, things he wished he could have forgotten and things he wasn't proud off. But this would have to top the cake. It felt wrong. Even thought she was a natural...she was still innocent and that was wrong.

"YOU INSOLENT FOOL!" Chairman Zala yelled. "We have agents that have worked in ORB for two decades and haven't got a single secret from Uzumi! He would rather die than betray his country! We only have one option: his stupid, naive daughter!"

"..."

"You will attend the High School she currently attends. She goes to Archangel High under the alias Cagalli Yula, since she wants to protect her identity. All you must do is gain her trust and trick her in to her telling you her secrets.

"..."

"This is the biggest mission of your life. If you fail this mission, you will put the entire future of ZAFT in jeopardy! Do you comprehend, Athrun?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good. You are dismissed." Athrun was about to walk away when his father called out for him, "Athrun! Athrun!"

Athrun turned around. "Yes Sir?"

"If you do not complete your mission do not bother to come back."

* * *

It was a bright day in ORB's Capital city, which gave every a renewed sense of hope. The sky was cloudless; the weather was cool; the sun was shining; the birds were chirping merrily; and the air was crisp. It was about 57 degrees and zero humidity, with an occasional gust of wind.

Despite being such a stunning day, everyone was extremely depressed. That day - September 5th - marked the end of Summer vacation, which meant thousands and thousands of people had to go back to war. And students would have to..._LEARN._

_Learn._

The word could just make anyone cringe. Cagalli Yula Attha was no exception.

But on the other hand, it was better than being caged up in her castle-like mansion all day because unlike her fellow school mates, she was a Princess and the heir to an entire nation.

"Oh shit!" Cagalli cried as she ran down the busy street. "I'm going to make an awful first impression! Great way to start of the year! Ugh!" She was starting her senior year at Archangel, the most prestigious high school in all of Orb, and she had a feeling that if she started the year with a tardy her teachers were NOT going to like her.

Cagalli ran down the street, garnering a few looks from fellow pedestrians. She dashed down the street as fast as she could, sprinting around a corner of an extremely tall building. To her dismay she suddenly found herself wincing on the pain and on what seemed to be on the ground. Everything had happened so quickly she didn't exactly know what happened.

When her brain started functioning again she noticed the ground was too soft to be the ground. So she opened her eyes to realize she was on top of a complete stranger.

"HEY!" Cagalli chided angrily. "Why don't you watch where you're going, buster!"

"HEY! Why don't you watch who you knock down, buster!" was the Stranger's retort.

Cagalli looked down to examine the guy who she had knocked down. The Stranger was tall and had a lean physique she knew that tons of guys would kill for. Up close she realized he had flawless pale skin, midnight blue hair, and green eyes that looked like chunks of emeralds that had been polished to perfection.

He was absolutely, undoubtedly out-of-this-world handsome!

"Idiot!" she yelled. She blushed when she realized their faces were inches apart, and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. "Ugh...MAYBE IF YOU HAD BEEN WATCHING WHERE YOU WERE GOING, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!" She huffed. "Be a man. Man up. Take responsibility."

The Stranger started to laugh, which infuriated Cagalli.

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Stranger!" Cagalli barked, raising her fists menacingly.

He laughed even louder. "The name isn't stranger. It's Athrun. Athrun Dino."

"I didn't ask," she retorted dryly.

"But you wanted to know."

"Yeah, of course!" The sarcasm was evident in her voice.

"Y'know," Athrun Dino, the weird new stranger, began, "usually when one person introduces himself, the other person usually introduces herself as well."

"_Usually_. But not always."

"Right...but it IS proper manners. And after all, you do know what they say..."

"No, actually. I don't know what 'they' say, 'whoever' they are!"

"Well, it's common knowledge that a Lady always needs proper manners if they ever hope of attracting men."

Cagalli smiled. "Good thing you're not a man."

Athrun laughed again. This was definitely new. All the girls up on the PLANTs melted when famous war-hero Athrun Zala had walked in a mile radius near them - let alone introduce himself!

But this blonde girl was definitely different. Despite her thinking he was an annoying creep...he liked her. "C'mon, just tell me your name!" he begged.

"Alright!" she sighed in defeat. "First name Bug, last name Off."

This made him chuckle once again.

She had to admit that he was kind of semi-cute when he laughed like this. It was like his smile was a ray of sunshine or something, and it lit up his entire face and all of his features in mere seconds.

"Bug Off, huh? Pretty name. Suits you perfectly."

"Ha-ha. Too funny."

"Fine, don't tell me what your name is," he sighed, "but the very least you can do is get off of me, Cutie. I know that it's hard to resist the Dino Charm...but take the paws off of me, they are starting to hurt." He loved the shocked expression on her face. He just smiled mischievously and added something in a soft whisper, "And for future reference...I enjoy being on top."

Cagalli's jaw dropped and she blushed a fiery red when she realized she was sitting on top of the stranger in the busiest street in all of Orb. It explained why everyone walking pass them was looking at them oddly.

She jumped right up. "You are...You are...YOU ARE-"

He seemed unfazed by the looks. "Handsome? Amazing? A heartthrob? A genius? Or perhaps, handsome beyond belief?"

He had to admit he was totally acting out-of-character, but then again, he didn't get many opportunities to let loose up on the PLANTs. He was never allowed to laugh or to smile or to have fun. That was the price of being the son of Chairman Zala.

Another plus was that he genuinely liked this girl's company. He noticed that she was pretty in a different, alternative way. Most of the girls he knew had long, silky tresses; but this girl, on the other hand, had short, unruly hair.

Yet she managed to be prettier than all of the other girls...And her eyes...they were not brown...they were amber...

Where had he seen them before?

"Actually, I was GOING to say idiotic! Perverted! Rude! Chauvinistic! Asshole! Or perhaps...PIG!"

"Anything else?"

"Yeah...you...you...you stupid head!

"Stupid head? Good one, Cutie."

"AH...what...SHUT UP-"

"Want to go out on date?" He didn't actually mean it, he just wanted to see her expression.

He didn't expect what happened next - he suddenly felt a sharp, stinging pain on the side of his check. For a girl she hit really hard. He touched the side of his cheek, which was now red, and looked at the girl.

Cagalli had already spun on her heels and stormed off. He touched his cheek again and it hurt. "Wow-za..." he said to himself. "She sure is something else..."

Instead of being angry, he smiled as he watched the girl run away.

* * *

"Ugh!"

She, Cagalli Yula Attha, desperately needed to get her rage out. She had been told she had gotten her volatile temper from her mother but she didn't care. She was a hot-head and that stupid guy was making her skin boil!

The only solace was that she would never, never, NEVER have to see him again.

"What happened to you, Cags?" her best friend, Shiho Hannehfus inquired.

"NOTHING." She was a terrible liar.

"Cagalli's red! You know what that means!" Miriallia giggled. "It was a b-o-y BOY!"

"It was not!"

"What's his name!" Lacus demanded. "Spill! ASAP!"

"_Cagalli has a crush! Cagalli has a crush! Cagalli has a crush!" _

"SHUT UP! I DO NOT - and I repeat - I DO NOT HAVEA CRUSH ON HIM!"

"Oh. So you're admitting that there is a _him._"

"Was he good looking?" Miriallia asked.

"Do you love him?" Lacus demanded.

"No, no, and DEFINETELY NOT!" Cagalli yelled back. "Okay, you got me. There was a 'him.' But this 'him' in question is a no one! He's just some stupid jerk that knocked me down and made me late this morning. I definitely not love him." She laughed at the idea. "In fact, it's the opposite! I hate him! I despite him! I LOATHE him! I DETEST HIM! Now ask one more question I will kill you and make it look like an accident."

Shiho raised her hands up, surrendering. "Fine, fine, I won't ask another question..." she promised. "...But was he good-looking?"

"UGH!" Cagalli cried. The blonde then slumped in to her seat that was attached to her desk and put her hands on to the table. This just made her three best friends giggle.

"I've never seen you interested in a guy before! Oh la la."

"Leave. Me. ALONE," was all Cagalli managed to groan.

She heard the door of the class open. "Hello class," came Ms. Ramius's voice as she walked in to the classroom of thirty one students.

"Hello Ms. Ramius," the class greeted back.

Cagalli heard the door open once again and all of the girls in the class started to whisper. She didn't care enough to lift her head up but she also heard the stupid, air-head, socialite Meer Campbell talk about whoever just entered.

_"Major Ten! Shotgun." _

_"No way, Meer! Everyone is going to be fighting for that hunk."_

_"And? What's your point? I called him. I always get what I want. I'm basically royalty."_

"Oh goodness gracious! I'm sorry, class!" Ms. Ramius apologized. "I must have forgotten. Class, today I have the honour of introducing a new exchange student from the PLANTs. He will be having the pleasure of staying with us for the remainder of your senior year.

All the girls in the class except for Cagalli, Shiho, Miriallia and Lacus started to giggle flirtatiously.

"Please, introduce yourself," Ms. Ramius suggested.

"I think you did it for me," the boy, whoever he was, laughed. "The name is Athrun. Athrun Dino."

Athrun?

Dino?

Athrun Dino?

As in the boy break that had bumped in to her less than a few hours ago.

Immediately her head shot up and she opened her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "IT'S YOU!" she screamed at the top of the lungs as she pointed a finger to him accusingly.

"Oh look! It's Bug Off," he teased. "Long time no see, huh?"

What were the chances?

"You know Miss Cagali Yula, Athrun?" Ms. Ramius wondered.

"Cagalli Yula?"

Cagalli?

Yula?

As in the Princess of Orb/the girl he had bumped in to less than a few hours ago? He wanted to slap himself. It all made sense now - the blonde short hair, the unique one-in-a-millon amber orbs, the smile, and the alias she had since she was reluctant to share her true identity.

She was the Princess of Orb. The very same one she needed to make fall in love with him.

And by the look on her face, she was definitely feeling the opposite of love towards him.

How was she ever going to fall in love with him now?

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**Author's Note: I'll dedicate the next chapter to everyone who reviews. I wrote this really quickie and I hope you enjoy. I'd like to thank all of you who have read this chapter...now do me a favour and review.**

**Or die - JUST KIDDING! HEHEHE! No but seriously...REVIEW. PLEASE. Thanks for reading anyways! :)**

**Sincerely Yours, **

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: PLEASE READ AND REVIEW :) sorry I'll edit the spelling and/or grammer later. My ABC/Spelling Check on FF isn't working. :S **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

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~Phase 02: Food Fight!~

"Wait!" Meer hissed. "How do you know him?"

"I don't."

"But then how do you know each other names?"

"Well I do know him. A brief, _forgettable, _stupid encounter."

The Princess had hated him and he hadn't even really started his mission yet. By the way the Princess looked at him - her eyes looking as if they wanted to erase him of the surface of the Earth - he guessed that she was still angry from that morning.

How we he suppose to know the girl earlier would be the same as his target? More importantly, now that she hated him how was he going to make her fall for him? If he didn't complete his mission, his father would disown him. What was he going to do?

"Since you two know each other I think it'd be best if Mr. Dino sat beside you."

"No!" Cagalli cried. Everyone looked at her weirdly. "I mean wouldn't it be better if he made other friends?"

"I think he'd be more comfortable with someone he knew."

"I don't even know him that well!"

"What are you talking about? We know each other pretty well." Athrun corrected.

"Then it's settled. Athrun Dino sit beside Cagalli Yula!"

Cagalli's jaw dropped. _Why? WHY? WHY? _

She had been on top of the pervert just twenty minutes ago in one of the busiest, most crowded cities in the world. The chances of them meeting again had to be the same as a candy-machine vendor sprouting legs and eating her alive.

"Hello Cutie."

"Do I know you?"

"Well I'd refresh your memory but you'd need to be on top of me."

She blushed brightly at his comment.

"Why I outta...!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're just so easy to push."

She looked at him warily. Everyone did deserve second chances so she let him have his. He extended his hand for a handshake and she took it. He didn't shake it though, he kissed it and half the girls in the class had been watching and instantly she received twelve dirty looks. Cagalli turned brighter and snatched away her hand.

"What do you think you're doing!"

"Just some PLANTs manners."

"You're in ORB now."

"Did you know you're really cute when you blush?"

"Did you know that I can hit much harder than this morning? And I know how to handle a gun?"

"What kind?"

"Push me and you'll find out."

"Touche."

"Stop talking to me."

"I can't." He apologized. "I've fallen madly in love with you."

"Not mutual."

"Will you marry me?"

"Rather die. Thanks though."

"You really are different." He smiled.

She looked at him. She felt furious, but not at him, but at herself. She was using all of the self restraint she possesed from stopping her to smile back at him. If she smiled back at him than he'd think that he had won. He was such an idiot!

"Listen, you creepy freak. You tell anyone about what happened today, you are DEAD MEAT. And I wasn't kidding about knowing how to handle a gun. I will make you regret the day you were born. DON'T TALK TO ME."

He listened to her.

Cagalli never wanted to see him again and she prayed that she'd never have too. She could handle one class with him - chances were that they'd have one class together anyways.

She could handle that.

* * *

_Wrong._

Cagalli dodged Athrun as much as she could which was proving to be difficult. Second period they both had Library. Third period they BOTH had French. Fourth period had been history, which once again, THEY BOTH HAD. Each period had been forty minutes. Meaning she had been forced to spend one hundred and sixty minutes with him.

Just enough time to question her sanity and think of ways of getting out of school. (I.E. Eating her hand off.)

But it was finally lunch.

A beautiful hour away from the annoying, flirtatious, asshole that went by the name Athrun Dino. A haven that would temporarily relieve her of all her problems. She could forget about him.

"Hey Cags!" She heard Kira Yamato yell.

YES! SHE COULD FINALLY BE WITH HER FRIENDS SHE HAD BARELY SEEN ALL SUMMER AND AWAY FROM DINO! Kira waved to her from his table which consisted of Dearka Elsman, Yzak Joule, Lacus Clyne, Mirillia Haw, and Shiho Hannehfus.

"Hey Kira." Cagalli greeted. "Hey guys."

"Hey," everyone greeted back except for Yzak. He just grunted.

"Guys guess what?" Shiho asked.

"What?"

"Cagalli has got herself a boyfriend!"

"Shut it!"

"Whose the poor chap?" Yzak asked.

"No one. Just some asshole who I met earlier today and hoped never to meet again. But turns out that he's a new exchange student from the PLANTs and will be with us for the rest of the year and he's in every class I've had so far."

"Maybe it's fate?" Dearka said.

"Or I just have the worst luck."

"O-M-G!" Shiho shreiked.

"What? God damn woman." Yzak groaned.

"I see him! OVER THERE!"

He had just entered the cafeteria with his bad-ass black leather jacket and all the girls were throwing themselves on to him. He didn't do anything to them except smile sweetly and reject them. Cagalli looked at him and he caught her. She didn't know why but for the four hundredth time she blushed and turned around quickly.

"We should invite him to sit with us!"

"NO! PLEASE NO!"

"Athrun Dino! Come here!" Miriallia yelled and waved to Athrun.

He started making his way over to there table and Cagalli was desperately wishing the Earth would do her a favor and swallow her up whole. But then that would mean she was lucky. And consdering the amount of luck she was having today, she seriously doubted that.

"Hello." Athrun greeted. "I'm Athrun Dino."

"Kira Yamato. You sure look familiar, have I met you before? You look familar."

"N-no. No. I don't..I don't think so."

"Dereka Elsman! Nice to meet'cha."

"Yzak Joule."

"Miriallia Haw but call me Mirri!"

"Lacus Clyne. Pleasure meeting you."

"Shiho Hannehfus. Hope we can be friends."

Cagalli choose to ignor him.

"Cagalli! Be nice!"

"Fine. Cagalli Yula. Everyone calls me Cags...so you can call me Madame Yula."

"Cagalli!"

"Fine...Ms. Yula would suffice."

"Ignore her. Sit down! Join us!"

The only free spot was beside Cagalli. She officially hated her crappy life. Couldn't he find somewhere else to sit? All the girls threw themselves at him and he picked her. She wondered when someone would jump out from under the table and tell her that the Princess of Orb had just been pranked. Actually, she had been praying for that to happen.

It would be much better to be publicly humiliated on television than have to find out none of this was scripted and her luck was running out. Athrun took a seat beside her.

"That's it!" Cagalli snapped and got up. "I'm leaving."

"Cags, don't be mean. He's new!"

"I'm really sorry, Cagalli." Athrun said.

"I DON'T CARE."

"But I'm really s-" Athrun tried to say as he got up but was cut off by Cagalli's shrill shriek. He had gotten up and accidentally hit her lunch tray towards her face. On her tray was a Pepsi, Tuesday Surprise Meat, and a vanilla pudding. All of it flew on to her clothes and some horrible looking Tuesday Surprise went on her face.S

Today was the worst day ever. She had to be getting PUNK'D! This was ridiclous.

"I'm so sorry-"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"I didn't mean to...I can-"

"DON'T TALK!

Athrun felt extremely bad for the girl but he couldn't handle it. He started laughing. She looked absolutely hilarious with vanilla pudding, Pepsi, and Tuesday Surprise meat all mixed together on her face.

She reached for something on Shiho's plate and Athrun felt something on his face. He touched it and examined it, to find out he had been hit with mash potatoes. Cagalli was still fuming but a revenge-of-a-grin was on her face.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Kira yelled.

The entire caffeteria started throwing food at each other.

The lunchladies had been yelling at everyone to stop wasting food but none of the teenagers seemed to care. Cagalli started whipping more food at Athrun. Everyone was screaming, steaks and chicken wings were being thrown, and everything was in utter chaos for minutes.

"ENOUGH!" a loud booming voice screamed.

Everyone stopped when the heard the voice...it had belonged to no other than the evil dicator that ruled the corridors of Archangel High, the stone heart woman, the beast from the black lagoon...Principal Natarle.

"Alright!" Natarle screamed. "WHO STARTED THIS MESS?"

Meer Campbell stood up from her seat. She had somehow managed to keep herself clean since there wasn't a spec of food on her Marc Jacobs skirt or Oscar De La Renta blouse. She smilled evily.

"Cagalli Yula Atha!" Meer anwsered.

"But-" Cagalli tried to defend herself.

"Detention twice a week for the rest of the month for an hour! And you must clean this all up after school!"

"It was my fault, Miss. Not hers!" Athrun piped up.

"Alright then. BOTH OF YOU DETENTIONS!"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYT-"

"One more word and it'll be the REST OF THE YEAR!"

The both of them shut up. When his father had told him his mission he thought it would have been easy. That the princess would be a sweet, princess-like type of girl and she'd fall head-over-heels quickly. Cagalli gave him a death glare and he had a strong feeling that wouldn't be the case.

This was going to be harder than any of his other missions.

* * *

It was 3:30 and Cagalli and Athrun were cleaning the Cafeteria. She had managed to ignore him for the past half hour.

"Why'd you even come to Orb?" Cagalli asked furiously.

"So I could meet you."

"Yeah. That really changed my life."

"I've been told I'm life-changing not that that is a big deal or anything...I'm alright..."

"Don't be so humble." Cagalli said. "You're really not that great."

They both started to laugh and he smiled. He liked her laughter when it was like this since it was sweet and care free...it was kinda how he laughed as a child. She was like a child the way she glowed.

He also liked that she wasn't trying to kill him.

"Any other reasons?"

"Dad shipped me off."

He felt slightly bad for lying but it wasn't technically lying. It was just leaving out the part where he was actually a ZAFT spy and was going to trick her in to spilling all of Orb's top military secrets and was going to make her fall madly in love with him and dump her. That wasn't so bad.

"Sorry.."

"I'm just trying to make the best of it."

"Well I'm sorry if I've been mean to you. It must not be easy being new."

"Not really."

"But you can't blame me for getting mad!" She laughed and motioned towards her food-stained clothes. "Just look at me! I'm covered in food thanks to you."

He laughed too. "Pfft. It was your fault."

"Yeah okay!"

He picked up a remenant of something green that he had gussed was food. He threw it in her direction and it hit her in the back of the head. She turned around, with her mouth wide and eyes with the same fire as before. Except they were softer at the moment. She was finally letting down a wall and showing a softer side to the Lioness of Orb.

"You're gonna die!"

She laughed and threw some more left over food at each other. She slipped on some Tuesday Surprise Meat and hit the ground on her rear end. Twice her rear-end was in pain because of him.

"Ouch!" She complained. "Help me up you loaf!"

"Okay, okay."

He extended his hand out but she pulled him down. He fell. But by accident he fell on top of her instead of beside her. It was like that morning all over again. Pratically De Ja Vu except for the food was everyhwere.

He swore he could have felt her heart beating. She didn't do anything as his arms were on the ground. His gaze was looked on to hers. He leaned in forward and as terrified and scared as she was, she didn't do anything. Her system had shut down. She hated the creep...yet still...everything was wierd. Something was off and her brain wasn't registering anything.

He leaned in closer and the space between the two was almost non-existent.

He smiled. "I like being on top. Close your eyes." He enjoyed watching all of the emotions she had flicker through her face. She was so different than other girlls yet he could read her like an open book. "Just...close your eyes..."

Her brain started working again and he felt a stinging pain once again. This time she had punched him in the face and she hit harder than any man.

"I was right about you." She yelled. "You freaking, creepy, perv! Stay away from me or I can show you just how well I shoot!"

She shoved him off and dashed up. She stormed out the caffeteria. He felt bad for pushing her buttons so much as he watched the blonde leave. He just wanted to be like the other teenagers for once and not some secret ZAFT spy that was next in becoming the PLANTs Represntive. He didn't kno

She stormed off. God. Athrun Dino had fired her up more than any other boy in her life and she had known him less than 24 hours! Why? Usually when annoying boys sent her flowers and stalked her, she brushed them off.

She couldn't brush him off though. And that was what was bothering her the most. She just wanted to forget about the jerk.

But she knew for some reason she couldn't.

* * *

**Author's Note: DA end of dis series. JOKES! GOT YOU THERE! **

**But if you don't review...maybe this will be :)**

**FAREWELL!**

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Holy moley! Practically thirty reviews. I'm so thankful for all you reviewers. This one is dedicated to: Byron Lancaster, Cagallifangurl, Athousandandonemiles, HNNKN777, naru-chan1, nareiya, jodeist, hearmyroar, W.o.W, eve, ashley, star, AsuCagax, Maria-Reynne, ZhenjiInoCagalli, animemaiden9924, moonlove, ****BlackNeonAngel, DevilGirl101, GS4ever, Random Person, animemaiden9924, ****, Sandyx5, ****RARRRRRR and Tezuka R. **

**Please keep on reviewing! Sorry if this is going slow, I JUST need to set up/establish a foundation for their characters and all the plots, ect. If I forgot you in the dedication, review and I'll put you in the next chap.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny. **

* * *

~Phase 03: I'm Practically Royalty!~

Athrun sat on the dark green couch that was in his late mother's house. She had once owned the beach house on the shore of Lake Onogawa when she lived in Orb during her teen years. They had used to come here during the summers of Athrun's childhood...but that had been a long time ago though. The last time the went was almost a year before her untimely death at Junuis Seven.

And in all honestly, it felt like an entirely different life.

_Bringgg. Bringgg._

Athrun picked up the phone.

"Hello, Athrun Dino speakin-"

_"Cut the crap, Athrun. It's me."_

"Fath- I mean...chairman."

_"I'd like a mission evaluation so far."_

"I arrived in Orb three days ago and I am currently attending the same high school, Archagel High, as the princess of Orb, Cagalli Yula Athha. We have gotten to a...memorable start that I am positive the Princess will not forget. I have managed to get myself in to all of her academic classes except for Gym. But Gym isn't co-ed, if it was-"

_"You're telling me details, Athrun. DETAILS! I didn't ask for details, did I? I want to know how the mission is going, not what you're doing to make it happen! I'm a busy man as you know, so make this short. I have another meeting soon...hurry it up!"_

"Sorry, Chairman Zala! The mission is going...it's going...uh..."

_"Going?"_

"Well..."

_"Answer the god damn question!"_

"Amazing! Yes, just amazing. She's in love with me, father."

_"Good job...son."_

Patrick Zala then hung up on Athrun.

Son?

He had called Athrun son! Even though Athrun was Patrick's son, he never ever called him that. That last time Patrick usually refered to Athrun as son was before Athrun's mother had died almost a decade ago. It was kind of odd to be called son by the chairman, but at the same time it felt good. His father was finally proud of him...although it was at the expense of the princess and her nation.

He liked Cagalli lot and had to admit she was different than most girls he knew. She was definitely not his type either, he wasn't one for liking girls since his job required all his time, but if he had to had a type it would be shy and calm and reserved and Cagalli was definitely not any of those. But it was between her and his only family left.

It was obvious who he had to pick. But was this really worth his father's love? Was it even right?

Of course it was, he convinced himself.

He felt sick about it though. In the pit of his stomach, he felt sick.

* * *

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Mr. Waltfielt." the class groaned back.

Mr. Waltfield smiled at the teenagers that looked as if they were about to die.

"We're starting another year at Archangel High and I'm going to be your Science teacher for the remainder of your senior year." He announced happily. "Now, I'm going going to pair you all up and if I hear any complaining I'll put you with the person you'd least like to be with."

"Bu-"

"TEST ME!" Andrew warned.

They all shut up immediately. Cagalli sat at the farthest table in the back by herself. It was odd not having the blue haired freak bother her...and in an odder way, she had kinda gotten use to it.

"Here we go. Temi with Challara, Bledel with Fish, Schuley with Trostky, Clyne with Yamato." Lacus' face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Hannehfus with..."

Her mind drifted back to thoughts of Athrun. It had been twenty minutes in to the first period and he was still not in class. This was amazing! A miracle! Maybe he was going to be late because of a dentist appointment or something and not even be there for the morning. OR MAYBE HE WAS TAKING A SICK DAY! Or even better...he went back to the PLANTs to run back to his family!

She smiled. Today was going to be a great day!

Her dreams were pulverized when the door opened.

Athrun Dino walked through the door of the Science room. He opened the door and closed it without making a noise. He looked pretty good with his combed blue hair and his ironed white shirt and leather jacket. His leather jacket was a real hit, too, and it was making all the girls swoon. All the guys were envious of him and all the girls wanted to be with him. IAnd all of this made her want to gag.

"You must be Athrun Dino! From the PLANTs!" Andrew greeted. "Correct me if I'm wrong."

"No, no, you're right. I'm Athrun Dino."

"I do not approve of lateness in my class, Mr. Dino. Assure me, there ARE severe consequences for continuing in this manner. But_..._since it is your first week here I can let it slide." Andrew warned. "I'd also like you to stay where you are. I'm currently creating the seating plans that will last for the remainder of your academic year."

"Yes sir."

"Alright. Allen with Tanner. Dino with...,"

"Me!" exclaimed Meer as she raised up her hand. She waved her manicured hand in glee.

Meer scanned Athrun with interest. He was perfect height, perfect build, perfect body, perfect complexion, pefect skin, perfect face, exactly the traits she believed she had as well. That was that. She had to him and decided she wasn't going to stop until she did.

"Yula."

"What? Why?" Cagalli groaned.

"Yes! Why?" Meer asked.

"Because there are only four people left and what I says goes." Mr. Waltfield said sharply. It was obvious he hadn't had his morning coffee yet. "Campbell you're going to be with Yunna Roman Seirran and Yula you'll be with Mr. Dino."

Athrun had a huge smirk on his face that made Cagalli want to punch his lights and get run him over repeatedly with a MEGA Monster Truck. He walked over towards the back of the class and Cagalli slumped in to her chair. He slid the chair and sat down in it.

"Hello."

"Go. Die."

"Harsh much?"

"I repeat, GO DIE."

"Geez! What has your panties in a twist?

She huffed. "Certainly not you."

"What affect did I have on your panties then?"

He grinned at her. She grinned back and batted her blonde eyelashes at him. She answered back in a soft, teasing voice. "Other than my upchuck reflex? Absolutely nothing." She turned around and wasn't going to let him get on her nerves.

"At least I caused some affect on your panties." He teased.

"Can you just leave me alone? This school is huge and there is probably more than seven hundred kids here! There are hundreds of girls that would love to fall to your knees and be your friend or whatever! But I am not one of them!"

"And why is that?" Athrun inquired. "We _can _be friends."

"Because I had a feeling about you. That's why!" she barked.

"A feeling? Are you falling love with me?"

"Oh, you wish, Dino." She said and rolled her eyes. "You still haven't even apologized properly about how we first met and continue to make fun of me. I have a feeling that you'll prove yourself to be a humongous jerk that just...plays with people like they're his toys or something! Anyways, I'm pretty sure I'm already right."

"What? Me? never!"

"Sure sure. You probably just hurt people. You know, use them as if they were tools."

He wondered how she could be so direct on the dot. Maybe she felt just as much heartache as Athrun and didn't even want to get in to anything serious. He felt terribly guilty for hiding his true identity and hiding his true intentions but he couldn't back out on his mission now. He had to do it. He had to do it for his mother, for his father, and for all the innocent people that died because of the Earth Alliances.

"I'd never ever dream of hurting you. How could you think that?"

She turned around and he was looking at her.

She felt her chest feel gross and different and weird. His emerald eyes were gazing in to her amber eyes, and for a second, she could feel sincerity in those emeralds. She knew she was blunt at times and maybe...maybe she was being unfair.

She could suddenly feel her cheeks burning and she knew that they had to be a bright shade of red. She snapped her head forward and started paying attention to Mr. Waltfield's lesson. No way was the jerk going to know she was blushing because of him!

"Look at that whore getting on my man!" Meer hissed as she eyed the two of them.

"Look at the jerk! He's getting all over MY Cagalli,' Yunna added. "Everyone in the school knows I've liked her since Freshman year but she does nothing but reject me! What does that dope think he's doing, barging in here and trying to take what's mine!"

"Hey! His name is Athrun, and he is NOT A DOPE!"

"CAGALLI'S NOT A WHORE!"

"IS TOO!"

"IS NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

"IS NOT!"

"Ugh!" Meer cried. "It's like the people we love are with the people we despise!"

"Exactly."

"It's not fair!"

"This sucks!"

Something popped in Meer's mind. "I know what we got to do, Seirran. We've got to break them up and I think I've got a plan..."

"But he seems to really like her!"

"It's alright, Seirran. I'm Meer Campbell and I'm practically royalty. And when I want something, I get it no matter what." Meer reassured. "I can just dig up some dirt on the two. I'm sure one of them has a dirty little skeleton in their closet they don't want anyone to know."

"I'm in!"

"Good. I will get Athrun no matter what it costs!"

* * *

"That's it!"

Cagalli started fuming like a mad man. That was it! That was her final straw and she could not take it anymore. Cagalli roughly grabbed him by his leather jacket and dragged Athrun in to the janitor's room.

"You're not going to kiss me are you?" Athrun asked.

"Yeah, Athrun. That's why I brought you here!" She said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes. "Lets make out!"

It was Athrun's turn to blush.

"Wh-why'd you bring me here?"

"I'm sick of this. Why are you in all of my classes? Why do you bother me?"

Did she know? Oh god! This wasn't good!

"I'm not with you in gym, correction!" he smiled.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. WHY ARE YOU IN ALL OF MY CLASSES?"

"I don't know! I just left all my family and friends on the PLANTs a few days ago so I could attend the most prestigious school in all of Orb. How was I suppose to know I'd be in all of your classes? It's not like I planned this out either!"

"Why do you make my life a living hell! God, I wish you would just leave!" She cried. "You're such a god damn idiot, Athrun! Useless! Just leave me alone!"

Those words stung. His father had said the exact same the thing when his mother died. His smile quickly vanished and was replaced by a tight frown. She noticed that and regretted her choice of words. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Okay then, Ms. Yula. I'll leave you alone."

"Wait, I shouldn't have said that!"

"No, it's alright. You said what you wanted to..."

"But...Athrun...wai-"

"I got to go, I don't want to miss class."

"I'm sorry!"

"I have to go."

Athrun left the janitor's closet in a hurry and left Cagalli there to think. She hated him but couldn't help but wonder: What had she done? And how could she apologize?

Athrun Dino was surely making her life...complicated.

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading. Please read to see the further predicaments that will happen. I'm already writting the next chap...but reviews will speed the process. Heh! Review PLEASE AND THANK YOU! There's also something surprising in the next chapter...you'll only get to find out what it is if you REVIEW. So review.**

**Also, I'd just like to say the whole PANTIES IN A TWIST part was borrowed from 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU. **

**Goooodbye!**

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thanks. thirty plus reviews in two chapters! Keep on reviewing. It means the world to authors like myself who write for fun on here. I hope you enjoy this story. Also, sorry if Cags came of as a bitch...lol. Someone like her isn't exactly willing to be in love. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

* * *

~Chapter Four: A New Beginning & A New Plan~

Two long days had passed and Cagalli still hadn't seen Athrun, which only added to her extreme discomfort and anxiety. She couldn't even express how bad she felt for yelling at him. His face...it was just unbearable. He looked like he was really hurt by what she had to say. But it wasn't her fault - people said things in anger all the time and people didn't quit school because of that.

But what if he did quit school?

What if he left Archangel?

What if he went back to the PLANTs?

She felt a wave of guilt rush through her. It WAS all her fault and she would hate herself forever if he actually did leave because of her. She hated the jerk, that she was sure of, but he was kind of nice to her. Like when he tried to take the blame for her when the food fight happened...maybe he wasn't so bad.

"Chelsey Daniels?"

"HERE!"

"Elise Deely?"

"Here!"

"Athrun Dino?" The teacher received no answer. "Athrun Dino? Athrun Dino?" The teacher scanned the room but couldn't see Athrun Dino anywhere.

"He's..um...he's...," Cagalli stammered.

"He is?" asked the the teacher.

Meer suddenly gave her an icy glare. She knew she deserved it.

"Away. He's...away." Cagalli piped up. _And it's all my fault. _

* * *

There was one Representative from each PLANT Sector: Janarius City, Februarius City, Martius City, Aprillius City, Maius City, December City, October City, September City, Quintillis City, and Sextillis City. Each Representative sat around a large black table in the Council Room. The room was filled with many men and woman with high ranking positions including the most powerful and devious of them all: Chairman Patrick Zala.

The bright light that illuminated the room came from the rows of lights in the ceiling. They couldn't use sunlight to brighten the room due to the fact they were more than twenty feet underground. The room was a very big secret, only a handful of people even knew of it's existence and location.

"How is young Athrun's progress?" Orson White, Representative of Sextillis city, asked.

"I have confirmed from Athrun himself that his progress in retrieving Orb defense secrets by befriending the filfthy natural is going positive. He is currently at her high school and she has started to...'fall for him'." Patrick Zala said. His face had no visible sign of any emotion and was like a stone.

"Well sir...I think this might be important." Orson White squeaked. "There uh has...has been a few...changes since Athrun has departed from the PLANTS and arrived at Orb. I have heard news...I'm not sure if it's true, Chairman Zala...it might not have any truth to it...but a few of my spies that work for Orb...well you see-"

"Spit it out, you fool!" Patrick barked.

He had no patience.

"They work close to people that work close to Uzumi Nara Attha. They have received news that the Princess has a secret body guard attending the same school as her," Orson explained. "She doesn't know who it is since the Princess does not like the idea of having a bodyguard, but he or she has been assigned to watch her 24/7. He or she was just assigned the job recently, too, when Uzumi had heard rumors that ZAFT soldiers might be attempting to reach his daughter."

"WHAT!"

"This is all a rumor, though, Chairman. There may not be any trut-"

"We cannot lose this war to those filthy naturals!" He slammed his fists on to the table and it shook. "They killed more than twenty thousand people in Juniuis Seven, those rotten bastards! That's it." Patrick screamed "Plan SHINDU-MoRTA 001 commences now. We WILL win this war."

"But, Patrick!" Eileen Canaver, a once close friend of the Zala's, cried. "That is not part of the plan. Orb is a neutral country. Many co-ordinatoors live in Orb peacefully. What do you plan to achieve by commencing that plan? The Princess is just an innocent civilian! This is OUR war and not hers."

"She is not innocent. No natural is!"

"But, Patrick...hear yourself! You are being ridiculous. What will Athrun say?"

"Athrun won't say anything...," Patrick said before taking a long pause. "Because he won't know. He has a goal, and he will accomplish his goal. This does not affect his goal so he does not need to know. This would be just an unnecessary detail that would distract him."

"What you're doing...it's wrong! It's unethical...Patrick please!" cried Eileen.

"We WILL win this war."

* * *

Athrun felt groggy as he opened the door to Archangel High. He had spent the past two days at a shooting range two hours north of Orb, brushing up his shooting skills and releasing some pent up anger. He couldn't help but think about things: like how things with Cagalli were difficult, and how things with his dad were difficult, and how his whole life was one difficult mess.

He had gotten only bulls eye, which made him feel slightly better.

He walked down the hall towards the office where he received his first late slip of the year. He got a two minute long lecture but he just pretended to listen. He wondered how Cagalli was doing...was she alright? Was she even in class? Had she missed him?

No. Probably not.

But he had missed her. When she told him not talk to her, it was kind of a slap to the face. Not literally, though, she had already done that to him and he had known the difference. But this was a different, harder slap. It hurt him on the inside and the pain just wouldn't disappear.

"Athrun!"

He immediately turned hoping to see a certain blonde.

"Kira?" Athrun asked and his excitement plummeted.

"Where were you?"

"I was...sick. The flu. Swine, actually."

"I heard you got food poisoning?"

"Yeah...that too."

Kira just looked at him. There was a short silence,"I'm glad you're back!" Kira grinned and then Athrun took a sigh of relief. It seemed like he couldn't tell Athrun was lying to him, and also lying about who Athrun Dino really was.

* * *

Cagalli sighed and left class.

She had thought about Athrun that entire day. All her thoughts were about the blue haired boy. She had been walking towards to her locker when she saw blue hair. At first she didn't care until she realized who the owner of the blue hair and leather jacket was.

"Athrun!"

She ran up to him, dumped her back pack, and gave him a huge hug. She threw her arms around his neck and dug her face in to his chest.

"C-cagalli?" Athrun asked while turning red.

They were so close to each other that he could smell her hair. It smelt of lavender..

"I missed you so much!"

His heart started to race wildly and he knew what to do next. He placed his arms around her and held her tight because he didn't want to let go. It was good being hugged. He hadn't been hugged in a long time. The last person that had hugged him like this would had to have been his mother. He didn't mind hugging Cagalli now thought...a hug was what he had desperately needed...

"You asked me never to talk to you again." Athrun said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!" Cagalli cried.

"So you like me now?" He asked, his eyes filled with hope.

"NO!"

"WHAT?"

She let go of him. "I still think you're a jerk-"

"But you just said you missed me!"

"If you had let me finished!" Cagalli barked. "You would have known that I did miss you and I felt bad for what I said. I shouldn't have and I'm sorry. But don't you go start thinking that I like you...BUT I do have a proposal."

"Which would be?"

"We become acquaintances. From there...we could possibly be friends."

Athrun smiled and surprised her by giving her a hug. "It's a start."

* * *

**Author's Note: Yeah. I like this chapter a LOT. First chapter was my favorite, although first chapters are usually boring and boring to write...I LOVE CHAP ONE. Anyways, totally irrelevant. **

**Thanks for Reading, please review.**

**See ya later, Alligator.**

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234,**

**OUT**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I need to just put in things that will affect the story later on, so I'm more than sorry if this is a little slow! BUT THANKS FOR READING! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny. **

**Dedications: To everyone who reads this!**

* * *

~Chapter Five: Another Twist

Athrun was walking down the hallway when his phone started to ring. He started to dread hearing his phone ring now a days - the only people that even knew his number were the Council Members. This had to do with the plan.

"Hello?"

"Athrun?" said the phone on the line. It was his father.

"Speaking father."

"Athrun, I need to brief you on your mission. The plan has changed as I and the council have found some rather unexpected news that might do damage to our plan."

"What is it?"

"You see, that filfthy natural scum princess has a bad history with her body guards. Everyone one of them despite their payroll has quit. We've gotten news from our spies implanted in Orb that their is a secret man or woman guarding the princess while she attends school, 24/7, and that they might be expecting someone like you."

"That's terrible!"

"What's terrible?" someone asked.

Athrun looked to see who had started talking, and it was Cagalli. "Gotta go Alexis!" Athrun lied quickly. He hung up the phone and shoved it in to his pocket. He grinned and the blonde. "Hey."

"What's terrible?"

"No..nothing."

"What's terrible? And who in the world is Alexis?" the furious blonde demanded.

Athrun grinned. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

"Jealousy!" she laughed. "Me? Jealous? Of what? Alexis? Pft! No. What are you talking about! You're ridiclous. Me? Jealous? Never in a million zillion years. Never!"

"Yeah, yeah okay. Sure. Then I guess you...don't want to know who Alexis is."

"Humph!" she grunted. "...Who's Alexis?"

"My ex-girlfriend," he lied, smoothly. "She said she sent me something huge, since she misses me ever so much, and I told her I didn't go through and that was terrible."

He enjoyed seeing the slight blush creep on the blonde's face.

"I don't care."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"Oh shut up!" she shot. She started walking. She couldn't understand why she felt so...so...so jealous! Why should she be jealous of this stupid Alexis girl? As much as she hated to admit, Athrun was NOT ugly, and it wasn't surprising that he had a girlfriend. Yet she hadn't thought about it before, and now it was driving her crazy.

"I don't even like him!" she grumbled. "Right. I don't like him. At all." Yet her lies couldn't hid the truth.

* * *

"Good morning class!" Murrue chirped happily.

"Good morning Ms. Ramius," was the class response.

"It's such a nice day isn't it?" she smiled.

"Cagalli! Hey, Cags!" Athrun whispered. She ignored him. She had sat in the back and had placed her bag on the empty chair beside her. She wasn't talking to him now and he didn't understand why. God! Girls could be so complicated.

"Anyways, class. I forgot to mention something! Today we have a new student!" Murrue announced.

Cagalli looked up from her angry state. Beside Murrue was a tall boy, just an inch shorter than Athrun, with black spiky hair. He had violet eyes and was gorgeous. She smiled despite of herself.

"Hello," the boy said. "I'm Shinn. Shinn Mayu. I've never been in Orb before."

"Shinn, I'm glad to welcome you to Archangel High. Now Shinn has just transferred from Nice, his hometown, and will be staying in Orb for the rest of the year," Murrue said. "Now Shinn...where would you like to sit?"

"Um..." Shinn said and blushed, obviously embarrassed as he looked to the seat beside Cagalli.

"It's settled. You shall sit beside Ms. Athha!"

Shinn walked towards Cagalli. She smiled at him. "Hi. I'm Cagalli. Cagalli Yula."

"Shinn!" he said a little too brightly. It was obvious he was nervous.

"I know. You just introduced yourself," she laughed. "Anyways. France? Wow. That's cool. You know how to speak French, then, right?"

"Oui," he laughed. "I was actually wondering if you could um...guide me around the school?"

"Sure!-"

"And in return I'll take your dinner. One on these french restaurants."

"We'll see about that." Cagalli laughed.

"Oh I get it. You're out of my league," Shinn sighed. "Alright. What are my chances with a girl like you?"

She smiled. "Pretty high actually. I think I'd love to go to dinner with you."

"Great! That's great! After I get set up in Orb, I'll take you."

"Alright." Cagalli said. "Sounds like a date."

* * *

Shinn walked to his home, the same home he had had for sixteen years. The same house, in Orb, which he had been born in, and his parents had lived in before they had had him.

His house was located on the shore of a beach, beside a children's orphanage that he visited sometimes. He opened the front door to his house and dropped his bag on to the floor. He locked the multiple locks on the door and went upstairs.

He went to his room and closed all the drapes, the only light coming from the lamp in his room.

He flicked on his computer to ON, and the screen came to life.

"Shinn Mayu" he typed. "ID: 139493929929101. PASSWORD: MAYU."

The screen went to his home page where a conference call had been pending. He clicked on ACCEPT CONFERENCE CALL and on the other line there was already a man waiting. The screen was completely black on the man's side.

"Hello sir."

_"Hello Shinn Asuka."_

"I had my first day today. It went rather well."

_"Did it now? How did Cagalli like you?"_

"She seems to like me a lot. She accepted my proposition to take her out to dinner. I think so far that she likes me a lot and I think that I can keep up this job up pretty easily."

_"Good. You don't know how much your job will affect the future of Orb."_

"Yes, sir. I know, sir."

_"Good. Because if you mess up watching her, you can mess up everything. Your job should be valued more than your life. You must watch her at all costs and make sure nothing happens to her. Do you hear me?"_

"Yes sir. I hear you."

_"Good. Goodbye."_

* * *

**Author's Note: THanks for reading. Now goodbye to you!**

**Goodbye!**

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thanks for the fab reviews. Just remember, everything is not what it seems. And there's more twists to be unfolded. I'm not giving any hints though! :) And please review at the end of this chapter. Constructive criticism are accepted as well.**

**For lack of a better name, this chapter is entitled Jealousy.**

**Dedication: AyameRose, OMG, Flutter, The Blue Mask-cara, littlemissstrawberry, Jodeist, Infatuation-x, Nareiya, Jodeist, Asuka Maya, Dhevz, **

**Anyways, thanks for reading. Please keep up the lovely reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

**

* * *

**

~Chapter Six: Jealousy~

"Hey Athrun! C'mon and join us!" Dearka yelled, waving to the blunette.

"W-what?"

"You heard me!" Dearka repeated loudly. "You're Cagalli's friend, right? Any friend of Cagalli is a friend of mine."

"A...ah. Okay," Athrun said and walked to Dearka, Miriallia, Yzak, Shiho, Lacus, and Kira. Athrun never really did have friends, except for one when he had been in Prep School, but that had been a lifetime ago. That had been before the war and him doing all these missions for the Council. Back when his mom was still alive and he still had a normal life.

But now his life was complicated. He wasn't even sure what having friends were like anymore.

"Where's Cagalli, anyway?" Dearka asked.

"I don't know...," Athrun said. "Why?" He suddenly felt his chest tighten up. What if something had happened to her? " What's wrong with her?"

"Chill out, dude!" Dearka laughed. "She didn't die. Me and her usually walk together and she didn't show up this morning, that's all."

"She's not picking up her phone either and she usually does," Lacus added. "Maybe she's sick or something's wrong with her."

"I think I know what's wrong with her!" Miriallia said as she pointed right ahead of her. Right ahead of the gang was Cagalli walking with the new cute French boy all the girls were fawning over: Shinn Mayu.

"I can't believe she's walking with him!" Athrun said. "There's something fishy about that guy. He doesn't even look French!"

"I don't trust him, either," Kira piped up.

"You both are paranoid! Let her be with any boy she likes!" Shiho defended.

"Likes!" Athrun gasped. "She does NOT like him!"

And for some reason he couldn't understand, he felt something grow inside of him as he watched her smiling at Shinn Mayu. He was pretty sure that this feeling was a little something called jealousy.

* * *

"That's odd." Yunna said out loud. The computer he had been using in the library suddenly turned white, said ACCESS DENIED, and crashed. "I thought it was just something with my computer, but the computer here did the same thing!"

"What are you talking about, freakazoid?" Meer demanded.

Yunna turned to his new partner in snooping, Meer Campbell. "When I looked up information on our little Athrun Dino I found absolutely nothing."

"Nothing?"

"NOTHING! There were absolutely no records of any Athrun Dino's - dead or ali ve - on any of ORB databases. There were no birth certificates, no addresses, no health documents, no anything. It's like the guy doesn't even exists."

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Meer yelled. The library shot her a dirty glare and she decided to keep her voice down. "I mean...there's gotta be something. He exists, Yunna, he's living proof of that!"

"What part of NOTHING don't you get?" he snapped. He looked around the room suspiciously and resumed talking. "Since I couldn't find something on the ORB database, I decided to do some snooping on the PLANTS database. I think I found something, but something weird happened...my computer crashed just like the one here."

"What's so weird about your stupid computer crashing?"

"I have the NET0101GL, thank you very much," Yunna said proudly. "It's one of the best computers in the world, and it's not even out to the public until two years from now! The NET0101GL is equipped against all crashes and viruses known to man. So when it crashed I thought maybe it was just something weird with my computer. But then computer here did the same thing...so it confirms it. There is something about Athrun Dino on the PLANTs database. There is something off about the guy and he's hiding it."

Meer snorted. "Next you're going to tell me he's a top secret spy!" She rolled her eyes. "How about the slut then? Did you get any dirt on her? Any embarrassing family drama? Her father a convict rotting in jail? Oh! Even better! She was raised by a pack of wolves, wasn't she?"

"HER NAME IS CAGALLI, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, AND SHE IS NO SLUT!" Yunna yelled passionately. He recieved his own personal death glare from the librarian and for the sake of his own life decided to quite down. "I couldn't find anything on Cagalli either. She doesn't have any information on her either."

"So you have nothing on either of them?"

"Yeah."

Meer tried to think of an explanation but couldn't muster one. "What does this all mean then?"

"I don't know just yet," Yunna said, "but I do know one thing: both of them are hiding something and they are NOT who they say they are. Me and you aren't resting until we figure out this puzzle. We're going to get to the bottom of this...no matter what it takes.

* * *

"I have to go to Guidance so I can fix my schedule and stuff...but when I'm done I'll see you later. Okay?" Shinn said. Cagalli smiled and nodded. He returned the smile with a warm grin and walked away.

With a huge I'm-a-little-school-girl-with-a-crush smile plastered on her face she ran towards her best friends. "Shinn is so cool!" Cagalli exclaimed gleefully.

The whole gang, including the newly accepted Athrun, had been sitting at their regular table in the cafeteria. When Athrun heard Cagalli praise Shinn he stabbed his fork in to his Tuesday Surprise Meat and twisted it.

He glared at her, his green eyes brimming with jealousy. "You mean Mayu?"

"Yes. I mean MAYU."

"He's a phony if you ask me."

"Good thing no one asked you."

"I have to agree, Cags. He doesn't seem like he struggles with English...he said he was France right? Are you sure he's French?" Kira asked, piping up. "No one here knows him so no one could confirm his story. I just feel like he's a little weird."

"Thanks for the concern, Kira, but he IS from France."

"I still don't trust the guy, Cags. He looks like a user, a slime ball!" Kira said. "I have to agree with Athrun on this one. I have a feeling this guy is nothing but bad news."

"Why do you both hate him?" Cagalli demanded, slamming her fist on to the table. "It's not like you even know him!"

"And you DO?" Athrun asked. "Sorry, but you've known each other for what? A day? Two? Suddenly you KNOW him?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I DO," she responded angrily.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, YOU DON'T, and he's a CREEP!"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, he isn't and the only creep here is you!"

"YEAH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE IS AND HE'S PLAYING YOU!"

"YEAH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU'RE THE BIGGEST IDIOT I KNOW-"

"Shut up!" Miriallia yelled. She jumped up from her seat, interrupting the bitter banter. "God! I thought me and you were bad, Dearka! But you make us look like a lovely couple."

"Well it's not like he even has a right to care," Cagalli snapped. "I don't see why you enjoy pissing me off and getting in to my business all the time. You have Alexis, anyways, right, Dino? Why can't she keep you company if you two are so serious?"

"Auh-"

"You know, I think I'll catch up with Shinn," Cagalli said. She picked up her bags and stormed off.

Athrun sighed and frowned. Girls were complex, and although he understood quantum physics, girls were a foreign subject that he'd never comprehend. And Cagalli Yula Athha...she was a different type of girl all together.

"You like her!" Lacus giggled. "YOU LIKE CAGS!"

"Wh-what?" Athrun said, thrown of by Lacus' blunt statement.

"You don't like Shinn because you like Cagalli, right, Dino?" Kira asked.

"She's just a friend, Kira!" Athrun defended.

She was actually just a mission. She couldn't be his friend, even if he wanted her to be. She was a mission. Nothing more, nothing less. This had to be professional - he'd find out the secrets he needed to know and help his home country. He'd have to betray her in the end. But he'd do it all for his father and for the memory of his mom.

Although this Shinn Jerk was making it difficult.

Kira stood up. "Come here, Dino," he said and dragged Athrun outside of the cafeteria.

Kira stopped dragging Athrun until they were in the hallway outside of the cafeteria. "What's that about buddy?" Athrun demanded.

"Ask her out. Now. Before he takes your chance."

"What-"

"You heard me. This Shinn guy is trouble. Cagalli's like a little sister to me. I've known her for years ever since I was eight. She's lost a lot in her life, but don't you dare tell her that I told you that. All I want is for Cagalli to be happy. She deserves it. And I don't think she'll be able to be happy with Shinn."

"Kira-"

"You know and I know it. I don't trust this guy, Dino. He's using her and I don't trust him one bit. So go after her. NOW."

Athrun stood there for a second but nodded. He walked confidently down the hall towards Cagalli. She was only a little bit ahead of him so he sped down the hall way. He tried grabbing her shoulders to slow her down but she just shrugged him off.

"Leave me alone, you jerk."

"Cagalli-"

"I said leave me alone!"

"NO," Athrun said firmly. He walked a bit faster so he could get right in front of Cagalli. "I'm sorry if I was rude back in the cafeteria. And I'm sorry if I've been annoying. The truth is...I...I...well...I..."

"Do you plan on stuttering like an incompetent fool all day or should I just leave?"

"What I'm trying to say is...," Athrun said, but he just couldn't come up with the right words. It was like his mind suddenly went blank. "I don't know what I'm trying to say, Cagalli. My mother died when I was really young. I loved her and she left me and I guess because of that I'm not so good at expressing myself anymore. But if I've made you mad-"

"You did."

"Well, if I did, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to. And if you'd let me I'd like to repay you by taking you out on Saturday."

"On a date?"

Athrun blushed and shook his head. "Nonononono. Unless you want it to be...no...I mean as friends. As friends, because I want to be friends."

Ah...okay...uh sure," she agreed, still blushing bright red. "I'll see you then later Dino. I still need to catch up with Shinn."

"Go ahead I'm not stopping you," Athrun said. "I can't wait until Saturday...I mean...uh...so I'll... uh...I'll see you then, Cagalli Yula."

"I'll see you later then too then. Umm...bye Athrun."

He watched her walk away and smiled. She called him Athrun instead of Dino. Maybe they really were making progress after all. Maybe, he thought, Cagalli wasn't as cold as she wanted him to believe.

And maybe he was starting to like her.

* * *

**Author's Note: Alright. End of Chapter 6. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS - And I'd enjoy some more :) Review if you'd like to read Chapter 7. Also, to anwser one question, there are more twists to be found. Don't think you've got it figured out. **

**THANKS. READ AND REVIEW!**

**Peace!**

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Longest chapter I've written this entire story. Or at least so far. I liked the ending of this chapter the most...so read. And of course review. But most of all enjoy the story because I enjoyed writing for you guys. So once again thanks for all the amazing reviews!

**Also, I apologize for accidently posting the same chapter twice. My brain has been fried. :) Anyways...You guys are amazing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Goodnight, Athrun

"Leave now while you still have the chance, Athrun!" Athrun said, berating himself. This garnered him a few odd looks from people that questioned his sanity but he didn't notice them.

He was too busy pacing bath and forth nervously, running his trembling fingers through his messy blue hair.

"You can't do this," he groaned. "You were way over your heard - wait, no. Don't think like that. Be the man you are, Athrun Zala. You can do this. YOU can do this!" He took a deep breath. "C'mon, you've had harder missions than this where you're life has been on the line. Taking out one little girl is simple."

He sighed in frustration. "Why are girls so hard to date?" he sighed.

Because, he thought, it wasn't just any girl. It was Cagalli Yula Attha, the girl he still couldn't describe yet.

"Talking to yourself, are we?" someone asked.

Athrun turned around to see who was talking to him and let his jaw drop. It was Cagalli - but she looked completely different!

She was always beautiful but she looked even more so tonight. Her golden hair had been combed back in to an elaborate bun, secured by pins, and her bangs no longer fell in her face due to the simple black head band she wore. She had on a beautiful red dress that went up to her knees, a faded light blue jean jacket, and a pair of black flats.

"You..." Athrun stammered. "...Look like a girl!"

She raised her fist up angrily. "Well what the hell do you think I am, dumbass?" She huffed and turned her head away from his gaze.

"No, no, no!" he cried. "I didn't mean it like that. You already are a girl. It's just that...it's just that you look so beautiful I'm saying real stupid things."

She blushed. "Nice save," she said. "Thanks...freakazoid."

"I...uh...really like the dress too. I just never thought that I would see you in one."

"Thank Lacus for that one," she retorted dryly. "She's the little monster that forced me in to this hideous contraption. You know, that girl might look so small and sweet, but under that angel exterior is a vicious beast!"

Athrun chuckled. "I'm sure she's not the saint we all think her to be," he said sarcastically. "Well regardless...I'll make sure to give a big thanks to Lacus anyways."

"So...," Cagalli coughed. "Where are we going?"

"Oh yeah. I was thinking we could go to the Orb Carnival. I've never been to a carnival before anyways."

"YOU WIERDO! How have you never gone to a carnival!"

"Never been to an amusement park either. My family was always working, I guess. I missed out on a lot of childhood things."

"Well! It's the coolest thing ever!" Cagalli squealed happily, with the enthusiasm of a six year old. The carnival only comes once every ten years, but it's definitely worth it!"

"Alright then, let's go, Ms. Cagalli Yula"

"I'm right behind you!"

* * *

The ORB Carnival was just like Cagalli had said. It was amazing. It had to be one of the biggest events Orb hosted, as there was at least then thousand Orb citizens there, probably due to the fact it only came every ten years.

Still, the carnival was cool. It was loud - the sounds of screams, barkers, gun shots from games at the booths, dings of people trying their luck at various lucks, and loud music booming could all be heard simultaneously.

There were also bright colors popping out at the carnival everywhere, like the bright Neon Ferris wheel that could be seen for miles, or the twelve feet tall clowns that wore make and ridiculous outfits of blue, green, orange, pink, polka-dot, white, and teal.

"I was six...the last time I came here," Cagalli reminisced. "But it's the same way as I remembered it all these years."

"You were right," Athrun said in awe. "It's just as amazing as you said." Right after he said that, a clown walking on two-feet tall stilts stating to juggle three bowling pins that had been set on fire.

"Amazing, wouldn't even cover it."

The couple walked deeper and deeper in to Carnival before Athrun said anything. "Would you like to go somewhere first?" he asked.

"Oi! How about that!" Cagalli suggested, pointing to a haunted house. "The GHOSTLY HAUNTED HOUSE OF THE DEAD seems cool!"

"Whatever you say, My lady. Tonight is all about you."

He watched her smile in glee as she grabbed his hand. It just all felt so right. And he smiled.

* * *

The haunted house was the exact opposite of fun.

It was a huge creepy housed that looked exactly like the ADAMS FAMILY Mansion. The sign beside the house even said "ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK...WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DEATHS."

Of course they thought it was a joke. They didn't think it'd be scary...

WRONG.

When they entered they realized the house was completely pitch black, minus the soft illumination the fake fire-let candles were giving. It was cold in the house, and they felt chills and shivers run up their spines.

The worst part was they could hear loud, ominous footsteps behind them, trailing them, but couldn't ever see anyone behind them.

"_Ahh!" _they heard a woman scream from a far distant. It sounded like she had just been murdered or something.

"This isn't that scary!" Athrun said.

Suddenly a dead corpse jumped out of the wall, making the two both scream "AHHHHH!" in unison. Cagalli jumped on to Athrun, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Ah...Cagalli..."

She blushed brightly when she realized how close she was. "Sorry. I just remembered that we had a test due on Monday. Yep. Right...hey - wait! WHY AM I DEFENDING MYSELF! You screamed too!

"Did not!" Athrun retorted. "This is so fake. I was just yelling to make you feel better. I didn't want you to feel bad about being scared by such a tacky looking corpse. Yes. That's the reason...I'm not scared at all."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm manly Cagalli-" he was interrupted before he could finish his sentence by the freaky laughing vampire dropped out of the ceiling. "MWA HA HA HA HA HA!" the vampire laughed, stretching it's hand, long finger nails and all, at the two as if it were ready to feast on human blood.

"AH!" the two screamed once again.

He didn't know what had come over him. He had scarier missions than this! Yet a plastic vampire was freaking him out.

That had been the last straw, though. They were tired of all the dead corpses, plastic vampires, and footsteps following them. They bolted out of the HAUNTED HOUSE through the nearest exit, only hearing someone letting out a deadly laugh as they ran. They ran and never looked back.

Following them out the exit, though, was Shinn, who was keeping an eye out on Athrun. He had been the foosteps following them. And he had been taking photos of them...

* * *

"I can't believe you threw me in front of a vampire!"

"I DID NO SUCH THING!" Athrun laughed. "I actually just simple pushed you in front of me so nothing got you from the back. I'm just watching you out.

"_I thought I heard two girls behind of us yell 'ahh!' Although I swore it was only that boy and girl in front of us,_" said a girl behind them. She had been in front of Cagalli and Athrun.

Athrun blushed at that comment. He didn't think his voice was girly at all.

"See. You're girly and you threw me in front of a vampire!" Cagalli yelled. "You were SO scared!"

"I WASN'T!"

"WAS TOO!"

"WAS NOT!"

"ADMIT IT!

"Fine. Just for you I admit your knight in shining armour was a little crept out."

Cagalli giggled. "I knew it! Now what should we do?"

"Something that involves no evil creatures or vampires," Athrun grumbled.

"Oh my gosh! Look at that panda bear!" Cagalli exclaimed, pointing to a booth where a Panda Bear was being offered as a prize. "Last time I came here I won the exact same one. I can't believe it! I lost mine a few years ago and looked everywhere for that stuffed animal. They don't even sell those bears anymore."

"Would you want it?"

"Yeah. Of course!"

"Follow me then!" Athrun yelled as he grabbed Cagalli's hand,

It was his turn to do the dragging as he dragged her to the booth. There was a huge line up of people, all hoping to win the grand prize: The SUPER Limited Edition Gigantic Panda Bear.

Athrun took a seat and raised up the gun.

"What are you doing?" Cagalli demanded.

"Winning you a panda bear," was his anwser.

"C'mon, let's go."

"No way! Not until we win the bear!"

"You need to get ten perfect shots according to the sign, to win that panda bear," Cagalli stated. "Which is way too hard. Why do you think no one else has gotten it? C'mon. Let's not waste this date."

Athrun wouldn't budge. He raised the gun and aimed it at the target. He shot and got a perfect shot, right in the centre of the red circle.

Everyone around him look impressed. "Wow!" Cagalli exclaimed. "That's impressive. ALL YOU NEED IS NINE MORE, THOUGH."

"Not a problem."

He took another try and got a perfectly perfect shot right in the middle. He tried eight more time and to no surprise, they were all perfect. He had gotten pretty good at shooting after all since he had been in the army since he was fourteen.

"Wowza!" The Booth Host exclaimed, touching his French moustache. "You're boyfriend is a keeper! He's mighty fine at shooting."

Cagalli blushed. "He's my friend. He's NOT my boyfriend!"

"Whatever you say, whatever you say," The Booth Host apologized. "Alright then. What does the pretty lady want from all of this merchandize?"

She looked at Athrun and he gave her the go ahead. "The Grand Prize Please," she said and he handed it to her. Athrun offered to hold it and she let him.

"Thanks so much, Dino," Cagalli said softly. "You don't know how much it means to me." He just smiled and said: "I'm glad I could help."

"It's getting late. We should go home."

He nodded happily. This had been a pretty good night for him.

* * *

The two walked all the way to parking to get Athrun's fiery red 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS. Neither of them said anything on the walk though, and Athrun noticed his favorite blonde had a frown plastered on his frown.

"Did I do something?" he asked.

"No. You didn't do anything.

"So...why is that panda bear so important to you?" Athrun asked, trying to brighten up the mood. Seeing her so sad tore him up.

She just smiled sadly.

"The truth is...my mom won the same panda for me. It wasn't limited condition back then. It was the last time I went to the carnival. I was so young - six...maybe seven. When I try to think of the day with my mom it's blurry...it's a haze. But it doesn't matter. It was the last day I had with her before she died."

"You never...you never told me about your mom."

"Well, of course not!" she laughed. "I get too emotional. Then I feel weak. And I hate feeling weak and fragile. She died a few days after she took me here. I was too busy playing in the dirt to notice his deteriorating health. She was so pale...and so sick...but she never cried. She was always strong in front of her daughter. I've always wanted to be like her."

"..."

"The Panda bear was the last thing I had of her. After she died my father donated her stuff away, to charity. It made me so upset. My memory of her would disappear one day and now I didn't have any of her stuff. But then I realized I had the panda. I eventually threw it out a few years later because some stupid girl said I was lame if I had it. I never found it again. It was so stupid of me."

"Cagalli..."

"Y'know, I always just thought she was playing hide and seek. She just didn't know the game was over. I checked every dresser, bathroom, just about anything that could be a hiding spot. But when she wasn't there on my birthday...I knew..."

Athrun took her hand. He wasn't sure how she'd react, and he knew that she was venerable right now, but he did anyway. "I'm sorry," he said. "But she's always with you."

"What do you mean, Dino?"

"I know how it feels to lose a mother. My mom died too. But I loved her so much that just the memory of her is good enough for me. And as long as I love her, she'll be with me, in my heart."

"You're...absolutely right!" Cagalli said, laughing until tears came out. Neither knew why the other was laughing. But it felt good to laugh. "You're absolutely right, Athrun."

It was the first time she had ever called him Athrun. "I'm glad you told me about her, Cagalli," he smiled.

"I don't why - but I'm glad too. You were the first person I ever told."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Athrun drove Cagalli to her house. The ride home was silent, but not an awkward silence. It was a nice, golden silence. He stopped abruplty at the gate of Cagalli's house. Her house looked more like a medieval mansion, and must have been thousands of feet long.

A voice started to speak through the speaker on the gate. "_Miss Cagalli?"_

"Yes, it's Cagalli, Marshall. Could you let me in please?"

The door made a buzzing noise and the gates opened. Athrun drove down her drive way on to her front house.

"Looks like I have to get out now," Cagalli said.

"Yeah, I guess you do."

She opened the door of the car and got. He did the same and they both stood beside his car.

"You really know how to treat someone, when you're not being a jerk," Cagalli said, complimenting in her own little way. "...We're still ENEMIES, of course, Dino. But I had a semi enjoyable night."

"So did I, Cagalli," he said, walking her to her door.

"Goodbye?"

Athrun nodded but took a step closer to her. She didn't move, and felt like a deer caught in head lights. What was he doing? she wondered.

Slowly but surely, the space between them became almost nonexistent. He felt his heart race faster and faster. He felt his usually cool, calculated, intelligent brain go blank. And he felt nervous - as if butterflies were fluttering wildly in his stomach.

He couldn't breathe.

"Goodnight, Athrun," she said breathlessly.

"Goodnight Cagalli."

She wanted to move but her feet were stuck. Athrun seized the chance and moved even closer to her. He slowly raised his hand up and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen on to her face, accidently brushing her skin along the way.

Warm, was what his touch was, she realized. He placed the same hand on her cheek and looked at her. She wanted to say something, like STOP!, but couldn't. She was hypnotized by those eyes.

Suddenly, and unfortunately, the sprinklers on her lawn went off, soaking the teens. They ran to the porch for safety.

They looked at each other, both of them drenched. They started to laugh.

"I really need to go in now."

He nodded. "Good night. For real this time."

She nodded back. She extended her hand out for a handshake and he took it. He turned around and slowly started to walk to his car. She placed her key in her door and turned it, opening the door.

"Wait. Cagalli!" Athrun yelled. She turned around and he was walking back to her porch.

"What?"

He did it. He did what he had wanted. He gave her a peck on the check.

"Uh...Athrun?"

He smiled. "I...just...thought it maybe it would make the night for me if I did that." He turned back around and ran back to his car. He was grinning like an idiot. "And it did," he said to himself. He started the car and drove out of the gates.

She just stood there shocked. She smiled to herself. "Goodnight Athrun."

* * *

**Author's Note: ****I'll also be trying to make more parts for other characters, as one of my reviewers asked. And are they in love? Who knows? Oh wait...I DO! Hheheheh. But you only get to find out if you do a certain something that starts with an R. Hint: Review.**

**And Shinn is a creepy bodyguard! **

**Anyways, thanks for reading. **

**Au-revoir, **

**MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hehe! Thanks for all the reviews once again! This chapter goes out to everyone that has reviewed. This was my favorite chapter to write, as the words flowed out the easiest this chapter.**

**So keep on those reviews! And READ this chapter of course. I'm thinking of only writing six more chapters. But if you review I'll write a little bit more :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: A Secret Revealed

"Council, let us start the meeting," Chairman Patrick Zala announced. He tidies his files and then pressed the PLAY button on his remote. A bank white image appeared on the screen. "This meeting will be regard our on-going plan against the nation of Orb."

The entire councill remained silent.

They were afraid of the secret plan but even more so they were afraid of questioning the powerful Chairman Zala. He pressed another button on the remote and the words MAY 18TH appeared on the screen.

"May 18th," Patrick said. "Do any of you know what this day is?"

No one spoke.

"The annual Orb Ball?" Eileen Canaver piped up.

"Correct, Eileen. It is only slightly comforting to know we have one competent member of this council other than myself," Chairman Zala hissed. "This day is in a few months from today, but it is coming quickly and preparations for the party have started." He pressed another button and an image of Orb Ball the prior year appeared. It was a picture of Cagalli brightly smiling, standing next to her father. "It is also the Princess' birthday."

"Pardon my asking Chairman..." Parnell Jesek, Representative of November City, began, "but what does the Orb Ball and the Princess' birthday have to do with the plan to extract information from Orb?"

"That will all be revealed in later time Jesek. But do not think start to think this day...May 18th...is of no importance. No. It is of the utmost importance - it will be the day we have enough information to obliterate all Naturals. It will be the day ZAFT wins the war."

No one spoke once again. They tried to absorb the seriousness of the statement but they could not. True, a few of them were radicals, but most were neutral, and no one really intended to obliterate every single Natural. They just wanted to stop fighting while Patrick wanted to keep on fighting.

"But preparations must be made ahead of time!" Patrick yelled, breaking the pregnant pause. "I have already started the final transition of our plan. A back-up soldier has been sent to aid Athrun."

"...What are you planning...Chairman?" Goulde asked, slightly scared.

"Doomsday, Goule. Doomsday."

* * *

Athrun ran down the Archangel Street. He had overslept like an idiot and was already running late. He sprinted down the street quickly, thankful that he was born a co-ordinator, and suddenly stopped.

In front of him was Cagalli, who had just stepped out of a fancy car with a muscular man.

"Geez, Kiaska!" Cagalli groaned as she got out of the Rolls Royce Phantom. "I'm not exactly going to blend in well if someone sees me dropped off in a Rolls Royce with my bodyguard!"

"But Cagalli you were late!" Kiaska defended. "I'm just doing my job."

"You're treating me like I'm a Princess!"

"But you are! You're the Princess of Orb, Lady Cagalli!" Kiaska countered.

"Stop that! It's just Cagalli. And I hate the word Princess. Don't call me tha-" Cagalli said but abruptly stopped. She let her jaw drop when she saw Athrun. "Athrun! What are you doing here? What did you hear?"

"Uh...nothing?" he lied.

She nodded nervously. "Alright. Bye Kiaska! Oh by the way that guy isn't my body guard, or anything. I meant that he's just my...father. My father. Yes. He's crazy, eh? I'm adopted by the way. That's why we don't look alike. Oh look at the time! Gotta bounce! Ha! Bye Dad!" She hugged Kiaska and dashed in to the school without giving either of them a second look.

"I'm...her...father," Kiaska added awkwardly, looking at Athrun. He scratched his head.. "I have fatherly duties to attend to. Bye!" Kiaska ducked in to the car and closed the door. He quickly drove off without giving Athrun a second look.

Athrun just stood there. "Oh...ok..."

* * *

"Kira!" Lacus said as she saw her favorite brunette down the hall. It was her spare and she had decided to wander the halls since the music room was being occupied by a Jazz Combo rehearsal. She ran up to the boy with her books and smiled.

"I understand, sir. I understand the importance of this. I'll look out for him at all times. Oh sorry, I got to go!" Kira said to whoever he was talking to. He then closed his phone and slid it in to his pocket. "Hey!"

"Who was that?"

"Uh...my aunt."

"But you said sir, dope!"

"I-I know. It's just that...she likes being called Mister and Sir instead of Madame or miss," Kira lied nervously. "My aunt's a kooky one."

"What's her name?"

"Er..." He looked around the hall for inspiration but all he saw was a poster and a sign up sheet for Choir. "Erm...Ermintrude. Ermintrude. Yes, she's in the hospital. Very sick."

"Oh my gosh!"

"Yeah. It's pretty serious!" he added. "My aunt, Sir Ermintrude just asked me if I still remembered my plan to bring her some...Coco Puffs. Ha! Yes. She's crazy for Coco Puffs!"

"I'm so sorry, Kira! What does she have?"

He wasn't expecting that one and he suddenly couldn't remember any diseases he had heard off or seen in the newspapers. "Er...Floor...etetis?" He was almost positive she wasn't going to buy it.

"That sounds terrible!" Lacus cried. "I hope she turns out alright."

"She will. She will," Kira reassured, hoping to change the topic. "Anyways. On a brighter note, me and my parents just received our invitations in the mail for the Orb Ball. And we're allowed to bring a person. So...I was kind...of...wondering..."

"If I would go with you?" she asked and he nodded. "Hmm. No."

"What?" Kira said, his face dropping.

"I'm just kidding! I'd love too!"

"Good. I was hoping you'd say that," Kira smiled.

"Great! I can't wait!" Lacus exclaimed gleefully. Her smile then suddenly vanished. "Hey...Hibiki...why is that new kid, Shinn Mayu starting at you like that? What did you do to him?"

"Hnn?"

Kira turned around one hundred sixty degrees and just like Lacus said, Shinn Mayu was glaring at Kira. He then quickly turned and acted as if nothing had happened. But the glare he had given him was so dark. So menacing.

"It was creepy the way he was looking at you..probably nothing."

"Yeah. Probably just jealous I get to someone like you," Kira smiled. He looked at Lacus, but deep inside him he had a nagging feeling from the way Shinn had looked at him. There was something about him, something that he was hiding.

But he knew only time would reveal all of his answers.

* * *

"Hey Cagalli?"

"La-la-la," Cagalli hummed as she tried to ignore Athrun. Ever since he saw her this morning and "found out" about her true identity, she had been avoiding him like the plague.

"You can't ignore me forever."

"Watch me."

"Cagalli."

"La..la...la...la.."

"Cagalliiiii! Cagallliiiii! Cagalllllli!"

"Mendeloyev's theory states-"

"Princess."

"SHUT UP ATHRUN!" Cagalli snapped as she jumped out of her chair. Everyone whipped back their heads to look at her and she just slunk back in to her chair in embarrassment .

"DETENTION!" Ms. Natarle barked. "THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO, ZALA."

* * *

"For your punishment, I want the both of you to help in our restoration of the Old Library by repainting the walls," Miss Natarle hissed as she lead Athrun and Cagalli to the Old Library.

The Old Library had been rundown, and hadn't been used since C.E. 23 when they built the New Library. But ever since the New Library was stuffed with over twenty thousands books the school had decided to restore the Old Library.

"Alright, I'll be back in two hours, this better be done," Natarle added. She then left the building and paint to the two teens.

"I'm sorry-"

"Save it for someone who cares," Cagalli hissed. She put on a pair of headphones and started listening to her Walkman. She picked up a paint brush, dabbed it in to the white paint, and started to paint away.

"I said I'm sorry!"

But by the way she was easily bobbing her head it was obvious she couldn't hear him.

"It's not like I meant to run in to you this morning," Athrun grumbled. "Everything I do ends up turning wrong because of you, Cagalli. And even when I try to do something nice, it ends up being a collosal mistake. There's just no winning."

She still kept on listening to her music.

Athrun sighed. "Yet I continue anyways...because for some stupid...odd...wierd reason...I like getting to know you. But you hate me. I'm just some stupid annoying guy who just can't do anything right."

"..."'

"But even if I tell myself not to try, I'll do it anyway. Because you have me under your control."

Cagalli took of her headphones. "Are you still talking to me?" she asked. "I'll forgive you on one condition, alright, Dino? Just tell me the truth. What did you hear this morning when that guy dropped me off."

"Well..." Athrun said. "I heard about you being a Princess. The Princess of Orb."

Cagalli slapped herself on the forehead. "Great! Now my secret will be out. I can read the headlines now: Cagalli Yula Athha goes under alias to attend Orb High School. I'll have to go to a new school now. Everyone will be freaking when they know who I am."

"But-"

"It was really nice not having anyone know who I really was. It's hard being the child of some big poltical figure that everyones looks up to. I didn't ask for any of this! But I have to deal with these expectations anyway."

"But-"

'I didn't have to be Cagalli Yula Attha here. I wasn't the daughter of Uzumi Nara Attha. I was just Cagalli-"

"Cagalli! I'm not going to tell anyone."

'What?" she gasped.

"I'm not going to tell any newspaper or anybody. Your secret is safe with me."

"B-but...you could make a whole lot of money spilling my little secret to a newspaper. I'm sure it would cause quite the scandal...the Princess of Orb lying about who she really is to her peers."

"I'm not going to tell. I would never do anything to hurt you," Athrun finally said. "I know how it feels to have some big-shot as your father and have to hide who you are because the slightest mistake could bring disgrace to your family. So I would never tell."

"...Th-thanks, Athrun," Cagalli blushed. "You're really a good guy after all."

Athrun smirked. "So what are you listening to?"

"Uh-"

"Tell me!"

Cagalli blushed as she opened her CD player. There was no CD inside. She had just been pretending to listen to music so she didn't have to talk to him!

"You liar! You weren't listening to music!" Athrun yelled. He picked up his paint brush and flicked her with paint. Cagalli just giggled and threw her paint brush at his face, covering his face with white paint

"Mercy, my Princess!" Athrun cried. "I've been hit! I'm dying!'

"NEVER!" Cagalli laughed as if she had not a single car in the world..

But was the Princess of Orb and Athrun Zala didn't know was that someone was hiding outside...watching their every move...

* * *

**Author's Note: DA DUH DUH!**

**READ, REVIEW, AND REVIEW, AND YOU'LL FIND OUT EVERYTHING! Thanks for reading. See you later!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Hehe! Thanks for all the reviews once again! It really means a lot to me. I'm also going to be starting to throughly edit my past chapters so the next chapter of this story might not come for a while...maybe years...**

**UNLESS YOU REVIEW! :)**

**Thanks a bajillion. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Fight! Fight! Fight!

"Good morning!"

Meer turned around. "...Are you talking to me?" She looked around the hallways just to make sure that it was really her that the stranger was talking too but there was no one else in the halls. It was practically deserted.

"Yep. No one else here but us!"

Meer's eyebrows knotted together in confusion. "Good...morning...whatever your name is," she greeted back awkwardly. "Uhm, excuse me, but who in the world are you?"

"Oh, silly me! I must look like an idiot. I'm sorry!" he apologized. He slapped his foreheady thinking of his stupidity before he continued, "I'm Shinn Mayu and I'm the-"

"New transfer student from France. Bla-bla-bla-bla!" she interuppted. "One little problem, Shinn. That does _not _explain why _you _think _you _can talk to the likes of me, Meer Campbell, head cheerleader of this forsaken school."

"I...well...you see...uh...I'm sorry," he murmed. He was taken back by her blunt attitude. "I guess I just needed to see if those rumours about you were really true."

Meer glared at him for a moment: his hands were casually in his blue jeans pocket, his blue eyes were twinkling, and he had a huge friendly smile plastered on to his face. "Hump! What rumours?"

"That you're the most beautiful girl at Archangel High. And I assure you that you are!"

Meer smiled for about half a second and instantly it vanished.

"Cute!" she cried. "Cute how you think that would work. Look, transfer student, I am Meer Campbell, which you obviously already know. And I'm beautiful, which you obviously already know. I know all the lines in the book and that was a cute attempt, but no dice."

Shinn feigned an expression of shock and pain. "Ouch!"

"Anyways," Meer smiled brightly, "I'm in love with someone else."

"Double ouch. Who?"

"Yeah, right, LIKE I'd tell you!"

"I just had my heart broken...the very least you can do is tell me...it would help me move on..."

"Since I'm like Mother Teressa I'll tell you. Athrun. Dino."

"Oh?" Shinn said in fake shock. He tried to restrain the urge to smile and act as if he had already realize. _This is too easy_, he thought, _it's a peice of cake! _"I heard he liked-"

"DON'T SAY IT."

"Cagalli?"

"He does NOT, and I repeat, DOES NOT, like that stupid skanky BITCH! HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW THAT WE'RE MADLY IN LOVE AND WILL ONE DAY OWN A HOUSE TOGETHER IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE AND HAVE TWO CHILDREN!"

"Unrequited love sucks, doesn't it?"

"I've never felt it so I wouldn't know, freakzoid," Meer snapped. "Anyways, I get my Athrun the second I get dirt on him or that little bitch...the problem is I just haven't found out substantial yet."

"Dirt, huh? You should of told me, Meer! I think I can be of assitance...

* * *

Kira was walking down the hallway, whistling the song _There She Goes Again_ by the La's, when he saw something strange.

Shinn Mayu, who was a slimeball in Kira's opinion, was talking to Meer Campbell, who was a fellow slimeball. They even shook hands all business-like. Kira coudn't tell what they were talking about but he did hear Meer squeal in delight. She hugged Shinn and then skipped down the hall and round the corner in joy.

Something was wrong.

Shinn turned around happily and when he saw Kira his grin vanished. "K-Kira?" Shinn said in shock. It was obvious whatever he was talking about he hadn't thought that Kira - or anyone else for that matter - would hear or know about it.

"What were you two talking about?"

Shinn regained his composure. "Nosy, nosy, nosy!" Shinn teased. "We were talking about nothing. Just Science partners. That's all. Good morning to you, buddy!"

"Don't buddy me. I still don't trust you."

Thet wo started to walk up to each other: Shinn, still grinning cockily, was completely cool and confident; while Kira was getting a little irriated with Shinn's antics. Something about Shinn made his skin boil.

"What could _ever _you be mean?

"You know, I really hope I'm wrong about you since Cagalli and a bunch of my friends are under the impression you're a nice guy. But I still don't trust you. So just watch yourself, Mayu. That's all I have to say."

Kira tried to move before he thought a fight would break about but Shin stepped in front of him, blocking his path to leave. "Watch myself, huh?" Shinn repeated. "That sounds an awful lot like a threat!"

Kira huffed and tried to get away quickly, before Shinn would try to start a fight with him. He had dealt with people as annoying as the kid and he so far had never lost his temper. Today woud not be the start.

"Move."

He tried moving again but this time Shinn shoved him back.

"I don't take orders from you."

"Last warning, Shinn. Move," Kira said. "_Please._"

"...You know, I was thinking of taking Lacus out tonight...showing her a good time," Shinn smirked before he gave Kira a huge wink. He felt digusting for mentioniong someone as sweet and angelic as Lacus but he knew the effect it would have on Kira.

But what he hadn't predicted was that Kira would pin him down to the ground in less than three seconds.

* * *

"Hey Athrun!"

Athrun turned around and smiled.

It was Cagalli. Cagalli Yula Athha, the girl that had been driving him out of his mind.

She looked beautiful that day. She wore a fancy blue tank top, a yellow cashmere sweater, and jeans - which was from from her sweatpant-and-t-shirt attire. She also looked like heavenly when she ran to him because the light from the window was shinning down on her, making both her hair and her amber orbs become a beautiful golden colour.

And now that he noticed, she look beautiful every other day, too.

"Hey, Cags," he grinned. He had to admit he loved when she called him Athrun and not _douchebag, tool, I WILL KILL YOU, _or _Dino._

"Wanna be partner for the Chemistry project?"

Athrun smiled even wider. He couldn't believe it. "Yeah. Of course.

"Great. Hey, if we get an A+ I think I'll treat you to ice cream."

e get an A, I'm treating you to ice cream!"

"Sure thing, _Princess._"

"Hey!" she whispered loudly and punched him. "What if someone heard you, you dumb ass! Do I need to kill you to keep my secret from coming out? Tell me now, I'll make your death quick."

"Now that...that right there is the Cagalli I know!" Athrun laughed.

She suddenly blushed and looked away. "I just remembered something else that I had on my mind. Uhm...I was kind of wondering...just thinking...possibley..just wondering..."

"Wondering?"

"If-"

"_Fight! Fight! Fight!_"

"_Ten bucks on Yamato!_"

The two turned around instantly. "Did they just say...Yamato?" Cagalli gasped.

She quickly ran down the halls and turned the corner to see where the loud cheering was coming from. In front of them on the floor was Kira and Shinn. They looked like they were about to kill each other as they were both trying to land a punch.

Kira already had a bloody lip but Shinn was in the worse condition. Both nostrils were gushing out blood and there was a chance his nose might have been broken.

"Kira!" Cagalli cried.

Kira stopped pounding Shinn for a moment. When he saw Cagalli he dropped Shinn. "I-I'm sorry...I really shouldn't have done this...I-I have no excuse, Shinn. I'm so, so, sorry," Kira apologized as he snapped back to normal.

"Get off of me!" Shinn yelled.

Kira did as he was asked and faded in to the crowd.

Cagalli ran to Shinn's side. "Are you okay, Shinn? What happened!"

"Kira said he had heard that I was 'hooking-up' with Lacus and started to beat the crap out of me!" Shinn lied. "I don't know what I did to that guy in the first place to make him doubt me and hate me so much!"

She placed on his cheek and sighed. "I don't know what got in to Kira...he's never like this...I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yeah, actually," Shinn smiled weakly. "Saturday night. I've been too afraid to ask but I really like you Cagalli and I would really like to get to know you better by going out on a date."

Athrun literally felt his heart drop. There was no way she could say yes! She would not say yes. There was absolutely no chance in the world that she would say yes to him. No yes.

"Yes! Yes, I will. Yes.

His day suddenly went from perfect to disastrous...

* * *

**Author's Note: I don't know if this was the most interesting chapter by far but it was to start a chain or snowball of actions that would ultimately lead to the conclusion if this story!**

**Anyways, if you don't review I'll kill Athrun. :) JUST JOKING!**

**OR am I...**

**And lastly, I will try to re-write the last few chapters to add more detail. I was afraid that you guys would be bored with it so I tried to stop going in to details - but I find out in a bunch of reviews that was what you guys liked! Made my 2o'clock! So thanks a bunch.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating for so long! I blame it on the extreme amount of work I receive from school. Anyways, please, please, please, forgive me! :) I have finally come up with this chapter, which I'm pretty proud off. I listened to "Wish You Were Here" by Kate Voegele while writing and this one came pretty easily!**

**I'll stop my blubbering. Read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.**

Phase 10: The Zala House

* * *

_Ding-Dong._

_Ding-Dong. _

_Ding-Dong._

"This is the house, right?" Cagalli didn't realize she was speaking to herself.

She had been knocking for just over a minute and a half already - yet no one had answered the door to let her inside. She had stuck her hand in her pocket, reaching for the scrap piece of paper she had written his address on. _**836 Minevera Street**_**, **the paper read, in big messy cursive writing.

Sure, the 3 might have looked like a 5, and sure, the word street might have looked more like the word Leech, but she was sure she had meant to write 836 Minerva Street. Despite her crappy penmanship she could tell that _this _was indeed Athrun Zala's home.

And, she suddenly realized, that whatever expectations she had for this, whatever they were, this house was the complete opposite of them all. She had been anticipating for some sort of mansion, a typical dream home. His mansion would be large, four-storeys, and would be made of red bricks. There would be a typical white picket fence erected around the house and a freshly cut lawn. But most of all, she had expected the house to be beautiful. Stunning. Marvelous.

But the house she stood in front of did not meet her expectations yet also did meet them at the same time. The house was marvellous in size but it looked dreary and tired, like it had once had the potential of tremendous beauty years ago. It was four-storeys tall, too, and was large, composed of red bricks. There was a white picket fence that surrounded the house but the once-white paint was peeling away, exposing the decaying, rotten wood. It was a ghost house.

"Hello? Athrun? Athrun Zala?" she called out. Cagalli knocked on the door once more, "Hell-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o? Are you there? Is anyone there?"

Maybe, she thought, I did write down the wrong address.

How could Athrun live in a house like this?

More importantly, how could any human being live in a house like this?

She was silly to have believed that a house like...like _that..._could have belonged to the likes of Athrun Zala. No one lived in this home. Athrun probably lived in one of the nicer, bigger, more friendly houses down the street and not in this haunted house.

She turned around and was about to leave when the door of the haunted mansion swung open, the door hinges creaking as it moved. She turned around and to her shock, she saw Athrun Zala. He stood there, smiling his signature grin.

"Yes Cagalli?"

"T-this is your house?"

"Mhm."

"Holey-moley! I've been knocking for about several thousand years!" she cried, playfully punching his shoulder. "I was starting to think that maybe I had gotten down the wrong address or something. This...this is your house, right?"

He nodded, laughing. "You already asked this. Yes, it is. It's my house."

"Anyways...so are you parents here? Your dad? Mom?" Cagalli inquired. She immediately regretted her question the second she asked it. She had forgotten two little things - his mother was dead and his father might as well have been too, considering he ignored Athrun a majority of the time.

"Nope." He shook his head, "I live by myself. Alone."

Cagalli nodded, and laughed along, accepting his answer. It was to mask the fact that she felt bad for him. She felt bad that he lived in a house as sad and depressing as this. But the fact that he lived in this house alone, all by himself, explained why it had been allowed to slip in to the utter state of despair it was in now.

After laughing, the two just stood there awkwardly. Cagalli finally decided to break the silence. "Can I come in?" she asked.

"Yeah. Yes! Of course."

He opened the door, allowing Cagalli to enter the Zala house - something which was not a regular routine for her, or for anyone. The house was like his fortress of solitude. No one but him had stepped in it for almost several years. However, now it was Cagalli's time to the best the first outsider to enter the house filled with nothing and to see a hidden, concealed side of Athrun that had buried since his mother's dead.

* * *

"So this _really _is your house? No joke?"

She knew it must have been annoying, her asking a million and one times. But she couldn't help it - the truth was still having a trouble sinking in! It made no sense that her, or anyone, for that matter, lived in a house like this!

"Yes. Sorry if it's not what you expected..."

If the house looked lifeless on the outside, the inside was even more dreadful. There were few ornamentations and decorations, and even those weren't colourful. They were most hues of black or grey. Nothing was out of place either - like the Zala house was a house of lifeless, pod people.

"No, no, no!" she said quickly. A little too quickly. "It's..._different. _Unique. Vintage! Kind of retro. Ha! I like it."

"Er...anyways!" Athrun said, scratching the back of his head. It was obvious he was desperate to change the topic to something more cheery. "Umm...so we have to work on that project together. The History one, right-?"

"Chemistry, actually," she corrected quietly.

Athrun nodded and mentally slapped himself. "Yes, for Chemistry. That's obviously what I meant," he mumbled. "Umm...maybe...we should go upstairs to my room then?" She blushed and nodded at this.

And so the two went upstairs. Upstairs to Athrun's room.

* * *

Finally!

A room that wasn't so bad. Athrun's room was painted a light hue of green, which was a lot considering the rest of his home was grey. It had a bed, a dresser, a few pieces of clothes strung across on the floor, and pictures. She sighed in relief. There was _some _interest in his house at least.

"So...what were you thinking of doing?" Athrun asked.

"A volcano!" she answered, smiling. "Yes, I know what you're thinking. Totally 7th grade Science fair and played out. But it's only a part of our project. Our main question is what ratio of vinegar to baking soda produces the best chemical volcano eruption."

"Oh. Sounds...good?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "Here. Let's start." She tried passing her bag where she had stuffed all the materials for the project, but she accidently knocked over one of the picture frames on the table beside his bed. She tried catching it but it was too late. It fell on to the ground, the glass cracking upon the wood.

"I'm...Gosh, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

She tried to bend down and salvage the picture but Athrun hissed: "DON'T TOUCH IT!" She was taken aback by his rage, but was already trying to pick up the frame. He sliced his finger before he got fed up and quickly slapped her hand away. In shock, she got up and took a step back. It didn't make any sense. If anything, Athrun was always being nicer to her, not like this. Not so vile and cruel.

"I'm...sorry...Athrun...let me help!"

"You've done enough."

Ouch. That felt like a total slap.

"I don't understand your issue! I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help you-"

"Well did you ever consider that I didn't ask for help? Huh? Did you?" he snapped. "I don't need it, Cagalli. I don't need any of it! I DON'T NEED YOU OR YOUR HELP AND I NEVER WILL! Why don't you just go back to your lover-boy, Shinn! I'm sure he'll have more use for you than I will."

"MAYBE I WILL!"

It was a bluff. She didn't mean it. He was suppose to apologize and everything would be good again.

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD!"

She couldn't believe it. He went from being the kind, reliable, Athrun, that was slowly becoming her best friend, to some mega-jerk. She had never seen a side of Athrun quite like this.

"FINE! I WILL!" Cagalli screamed.

She stormed out of his room in furry and without even thinking about it, she slammed his door shut. She stomped down the hall and down the spiral staircase. Her mind was exploding. She hated him! She should never become friends with him! She opened his front door and let herself out.

And she promised herself she would never return again.

* * *

Except she broke her promise only a minute later.

Halfway walking down Minerva street she realized she left her bag at his home. So she went back and opened the door to his house. Her backpack was on the table beside the door and the other bag with the materials was upstairs. She didn't care, though. She'd leave it for that lousy jerk. This time she was leaving and she REALLY wasn't coming back.

She was even about to leave and storm off again until she heard something.

A noise.

It was more than a noise, though. It was a beautiful sound, one that she had never quite heard before. The beautiful noise flooded through the entire house, echoing through the halls and other rooms. She could suddenly feel her anger dissipate, only to instead feel the sadness of the music seep in to her body and spread through her veins.

The magic of the beautiful sound drew her curiosity. She slowly advanced up the stairs, afraid that this was all some dream and one wrong step would waver the music.

She followed the noise up the stairs, and down the hall, all the way until she reached the room where the beautiful sound was coming from. It was the room beside Athrun's. In big block letters there was a plaque beside it.

It read, LENORE'S PIANO ROOM.

The door was already slightly opened. So she opened it a little more, with only a slightly creak of the hinges being heard, and peaked in. Athrun - like she had never seen him before - was sitting on a black bench, with the light from the window beside him pouring all of over him. He was leaning over a piano, which was where the sweet and sad beautiful music was being emitted from. The piano was like an beast, but an elegant one, that was went to life only by Athrun's fingers. Keys of ivory white and smaller keys of charcoal black decorated this magical object. Smooth black wood curled delicately underneath the keys that his fingers were dancing over.

Cagalli was in awe at the entire scene. She couldn't peel her eyes off of him, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't help her mouth from forming a small "o" either. His fingers kept on flying so fast and precisely that she could barely keep up with his beautiful yet haunting piece.

Across the notes - black keys, white keys, black keys, white keys - he played with a natural ease, an ease that only a select few were graced with. He played with his eyes closed too, like he was one with the sweet, godly music.

Soon enough to her dismay, the ending came. His fingers relaxed and he pressed less pressure on the keys, allowing the end to fade quietly, and softly, until the beautiful noise was no more. She couldn't believe it was over. She let out a gasp in shock.

Athrun whipped his head back, suddenly aware that someone was standing behind him. "Cagalli?" he gasped. "I thought you had left! Did you hear that?" He suddenly looked ashamed and couldn't look her in the eye. "Why didn't you go home? You shouldn't be here anymore."

"I...I...I...I left my bag...," she answered. "That noise-"

"Was nothing but a noise."

"It was more than a noise, Athrun! I've never head something so beautiful in my life!" she yelled. She suddenly softened up, moving towards him, sitting on the bench with him. "You're good. Really good. And I'm not just saying that."

Athrun smiled sadly but still wouldn't let her look him in the eyes. "_She _taught me how to play..."

"She? You mean-"

"Lenore," he said, finishing her sentence. "My mother. I haven't touched this in six years. It was hers. My mother...she used to be a pianist. She was good. Really good. Before I was born she had all these concerts around Germany and France and Italy. But then I was born and she taught me instead."

His hands started to tremble. Cagalli moved hers and placed them over his. "And?"

"And I used to love playing. She was suppose to teach me how to play more songs. I wanted to be as good as her. One she played...I don't know how to explain it. It was like the word stopped and there was nothing but music. This heavenly music. But she died. She didn't keep her promise because she died."

It suddenly made sense, the reason why the house was so empty. It was missing the love of Athrun's move. Without Lenore the house had become lifeless.

"You shouldn't stop playing," she said. "Not when you play so well. She would be so proud of you..."

"That song...it's not done yet," he mumbled. "It's a song I wrote for you. Do you mind if I play it again?" She nodded and he began to play.

To him, his playing was an escape. Nothing else existed but his piano. To her, it was pure beauty. Nothing else in the world mattered by the sounds. He played and played and played, with nothing distracting him. He closed his eyes and let the music carry him away, like a tidal wave. He played from one end of the piano to the other and back again, all with his elegant end eventually came again. She had braced herself for it but it still shocked her. The music faded once again until there was nothing left.

She looked at him and saw something she hadn't noticed before - his eyes. They were so expressive, so lovely. They were emerald and they were painted with his emotions. He was sad.

And he was in love.

"You...you wrote this for me?"

"I haven't come up with a name yet. But yes."

"I-"

"I don't need you to understand because I don't understand either," he announced. "It's wrong. I shouldn't feel this way for so many reasons. I'm not suppose to feel the way that I'm feeling right now. But I do. I'd rather be with you. I'd rather have one moment with you and never be allowed to have you, then to have never met you at all."

He leaned in, slowly, but surely. She was too paralyzed to move. What was happening? Why was her best friend doing this? Best friends didn't do this, did they? She felt like a deer stuck in headlights. But her senses kicked in before he got to close. She pushed him off and got off the bench, making sure there was a lot of distance between the two. She kept on backing up - yet no matter how far she was, it didn't feel far enough.

"You shouldn't have said that." She picked her bag and glared at him. "I mean, you really, really, really shouldn't have said that or done that. We're friends. You're my friend! Friends don't do that, Athrun Dino. And I like Shinn. Shinn - not you!"

"You don't mean that-"

"But I do! I'm sorry but I'm meeting up with him now. For a date. I'm leaving."

"Wait...I...I'm sorry. I was going crazy for a sec." He smiled. "Friends right?"

She nodded. "Friends." Cagalli turned around and ran out of the room. She ran out of his faster than she had before, desperate to get far away from him. She opened the door and left the empty lifeless Zala house. She knew she had said this a bunch of times, but this time she meant it. She was never coming back.

* * *

Athrun sighed as he went back to his room. He picked up the broken frame that a certain blonde had knocked over carefully. He didn't want to cut up his piano fingers with any remnants of the broken glass.

He picked up the picture.

He hadn't let her touch it because he was afraid that she might realize that he was from the PLANTs. But, he realized, it ran much deeper than that. He was angry at her. He was angry that she would accept a date with a sleaze-bag like Shinn. He had been fighting for her since Day 1 and now what? - Shinn would just come in, swoop her away from Athrun, and sweep her off her feet.

He sighed and looked at the picture.

It was a smiling photo of him and a brunette boy, a boy he vaguely remembered had been his first best friend. He couldn't remember the boy's name now, but it was on the tip of his tongue. The two had gone to Lunar Prep together back up on the PLANTS. What made the photo so much more special was that his mother had taken it. She had visited him during semester and taken the photo of the two pre-teen boys.

The photo was taken before the war.

The photo was taken before Lenore died.

The photo was taken the last time he would smile for almost six years.

Back when his days were still good and uncomplicated. Back when there was some sort of peace, however illusionary is might have been. His father had still loved him and his mother had still been alive and he was able to smile. After that, smiling felt foreign. It felt like he was wearing a mask.

Yet, now, a certain girl named Cagalli Yula Athha changed that. She made him smile without even trying.

* * *

**Author's note: I loved this chapter! It was so great to write. I really hope you enjoyed the detail I tried putting in, so make sure to review. Also, there's a bit of mistakes in the previous chapters, considering my writing has heavily improved in the previous months. I'm going to edit them first before updating again!**

**Review and it shall be speedy!**

**Also, whose the brunette boy in the photo? Pretty obvious...ahaha.**

**Mucho love,  
MusicIsMyBoyfriend1234**


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